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2006 Films, Crime Thriller, Religious, Thriller

The Da Vinci Code-2006

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The Da Vinci Code-2006

Director Ron Howard

Starring Tom Hanks

Scott’s Review #1,223

Reviewed January 23, 2022

Grade: B+

Based on the best-selling 2003 novel written by Dan Brown, Ron Howard directs the film version of The Da Vinci Code (2006).

Since I haven’t read the novel at this writing, I cannot give a fully fair assessment from a comparative perspective, but my hunch is that the book is superior to the film.

Isn’t it usually?

The film is entertainment personified, and Howard wisely casts a big name like Tom Hanks to draw audiences to the theaters.

It’s a slick and adventurous thrill ride, which is all well and good, but it’s also a type of film you can see once, enjoy for what it is, and never need to see again.

The most fun is the controversy the film, like the book, encountered.

It was met with especially harsh criticism by the Catholic Church for the accusation that it is behind a two-thousand-year-old cover-up concerning what the Holy Grail is, the concept that Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene were married, and that the union produced a daughter.

So, those who are sensitive or uptight about religion may want to skip the film and the novel.

But this is Hollywood, after all, and Howard and Hanks do what they do best. They create and produce a fun, solid, blockbuster flick.

When the curator of the Louvre is found murdered in the famed museum’s hallowed halls, Harvard professor Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) and cryptographer Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou) must untangle a deadly web of deceit involving the works of Leonardo da Vinci.

The most enjoyable parts are the locales and the focus on art.

The famous Louvre in Paris, France, permitted filming of relevant scenes at its premises. Still, only a replica of the Mona Lisa was used during filming, as the crew was not allowed to illuminate the original work with their lighting.

The Westminster Abbey scenes were instead filmed at Lincoln and Winchester cathedrals.

The Parisian nightlife is gorgeous and murky in its depiction, and a generous number of sequences are shot throughout the United Kingdom, with Scotland and England receiving the most representation.

So, while strict limitations were harbored, there is an international flavor to The Da Vinci Code that works wonderfully, especially for those who have traveled to those locations.

For art lovers, particularly of da Vinci himself, there is a satisfying respect for the art. I always try to improve my art knowledge, so this film is helpful for me and for novice art fans to educate themselves and learn more about the subject.

Hanks, as usual, carries the film in his steady-Freddy approach.

While not as compelling as his roles in either Philadelphia (1993) or Forrest Gump (1994), the actor can convey his suspicious plight and the need and desire to solve the complex puzzle.

Audiences will follow suit.

The Da Vinci Code (2006) was riddled with bad reviews and jests mostly at its ridiculous plot and absurd story. While there is a grain of truth to this, I found the film enjoyable entertainment, and that’s all I expected out of it.

The film pleases and satisfies if not taken too seriously.

2021 Films, Drama

Passing-2021

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Passing-2021

Director Rebecca Hall

Starring Tessa Thompson, Ruth Negga

Scott’s Review #1,222

Reviewed January 22, 2022

Grade: A

Passing (2021) is a quiet film brimming with importance. It’s the feature directorial debut of Rebecca Hall, and she hits a home run with a movie pleasing both visually and from a storytelling perspective.

The title of the film equates to the word ‘passing’, referring to three different meanings, as the viewer will need to wait until the end to figure it out.  I was not able to deduce the third meaning until I read the synopsis and was left in a state of shock.

The setting is 1920s New York City, a polished time when status and sophistication meant everything. Unfortunately, despite the liberal-leaning metropolis, racism is still alive and kicking.

The first scene shows a pair of well-dressed ladies entering a store, commenting how thankful they feel that their children have only met ‘colored’ people who are members of their staff. The message is clear that they think anyone of dark skin is a leper.

Passing is a film about race, but so much more.

Tessa Thompson plays Irene Redfield, a well-to-do light-skinned black woman who is married to a successful doctor, Brian (André Holland). They reside in Harlem in a predominantly black neighborhood.

Irene is respected and is also able to walk amongst cultured white people and ‘pass’ for white. She is treated differently when she does.

One day, Irene stops for a sandwich at a posh hotel. She runs into her childhood friend Clare (Ruth Negga), who is also of mixed race. Clare completely passes for white and is married to a successful and handsome banker, John Bellew (Alexander Skarsgård).

He makes no secret of despising black people.

As Irene and Clare reconnect, Clare begins to immerse herself in the black culture and specifically in Irene’s life. She flirts with many black men and grows close to Brian, much to Irene’s chagrin. Irene becomes both jealous and enamored with Clare.

They both risk their established lives as they soul-search for their truths.

Passing is not conventional, and that’s what I admire and love about it. While watching, I never knew what direction the film was going in, and I missed one subtle, yet essential, detail- Irene’s fascination with Clare.

The complex relationship is shaken to the core in a jarring final sequence during a winter party in a luxury apartment.

Hall makes the monumental good decision to film in black and white cinematography, thus making the racial subject and tones all the more powerful.

Visually, this is never more evident than when Clare stands beside a darker-skinned black character. The contrast is astounding and made me believe how everyone would be fooled into thinking she is a white woman.

The story of two cultured black women navigating life in the early twentieth century is compelling enough, but the underlying themes that emerge add depth to the meaning of Passing, layering it with a wealth of emotional complexity.

The film reminds me of the 2002 masterpiece Far from Heaven. Visually brilliant and both offering stories about race, they are also tragic. Nobody ends up happy or fulfilled, and a terminal sense of loss is palpable in each. A tortured, well-manicured central character exists in both films.

Negga has received the lion’s share of praise for playing Clare, but Thompson is also flawless.

Both actresses are brilliant in their portrayals of characters who are very much alike. They strive for perfection but are nonetheless living in fantasy worlds, whether they realize it or not. It’s tough to convey this to audiences, but they do in measured calmness.

The film shows that we all pretend just a little bit and pass it off sometimes, don’t we?

It’s a scary realization.

My standard modus operandi when I review a film is to think whether it stays with me after the credits roll or if it is quickly dismissed from my train of thought.

Passing (2021) has powerfully remained in my mind and caused me to ruminate and peel back the onion more and more in this tremendous and stylistic effort.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: 2 wins-Best Supporting Female-Ruth Negga (won), Best Cinematography (won)

2011 Films, Horror, Horror-Comedy, Science Fiction

The Cabin in the Woods-2011

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The Cabin in the Woods-2011

Director Drew Goddard

Starring Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth

Scott’s Review #1,221

Reviewed January 17, 2022

Grade: A-

The Cabin in the Woods (2011) is a very clever film with tremendous writing and acting. It takes a standard horror film premise and spins it into something new and inventive. I wouldn’t dare spoil the twist reveal at the end of the film but suffice it to say it’s a doozy.

It’s not your typical or expected slasher film.

Created by Drew Goddard (he wrote Cloverfield-2008) in his directorial debut he also co-wrote the screenplay with Joss Whedon. Besides horror, there is dark comedy and science fiction incorporated making it cross-genre entertainment and enjoyment.

When five college friends (Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams) arrive at a remote forest cabin for relaxation and quiet, odd horrors await them. A group of backwoods zombies wreaks havoc on the group and they are systematically killed one by one in a gruesome fashion.

From an unknown location, two scientists (Richard Jenkins, and Bradley Whitford) are manipulating the events, but there are even more sinister machinations going on somewhere else.

The story on the surface is pretty basic and Goddard and Company delightfully add parodies of standard horror elements. Most who see The Cabin in the Woods will be fans of the horror genre.

Anytime five college kids head for a weekend alone in a secluded cabin it’s a recipe for disaster.

I immediately compared the film to Friday the 13th (1980) meets The Evil Dead (1981).

The group even has nicknames that coincide with traditional horror/slasher film character trademarks: ‘The Virgin’, ‘The Athlete’, ‘The Whore’, ‘The Fool’, and ‘The Scholar’.

This is a pure treat for fans.

Goddard, or the scientists manipulating the action, gleefully fills the students with intoxicants making their libidos flare and their curiosities piqued. A mysterious diary and other weird objects are found by the group in the cabin basement.

Ordinarily smart, the students are unable to provide rational thinking or proper reasoning. Naturally, they are unable to escape the remote area either.

The scientists cackle and make bets on which zombie will appear next. The audience enjoys this immensely because what horror film viewer doesn’t predict who gets killed when how and who will be the last one standing?

The Cabin in the Woods is incredibly enjoyable.

In joyous form, two of the group have animalistic sex outside and one is decapitated.

Then things get strange.

The audience knows of the scientists, but wait there’s more! When the scientists are called by a mysterious ‘director’ who tells them that Marty (Hemsworth) has not been killed and is attempting to rescue Dana (Connolly), something has gone amiss.

The reasoning and understanding of the big reveal are very implausible but shocking nonetheless. It’s scary because it’s unexpected and that’s why the film is so creative and successful.

The Cabin in the Woods (2011) turns the traditional horror formula upside down and is a pure delight for fans of the genre. Instead of mocking, it embraces the methods and offers intelligence and humor that I truly appreciate.

2021 Films, Comedy, Dark Comedy, Satire, Science Fiction

Don’t Look Up-2021

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Don’t Look Up-2021

Director Adam McKay

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep

Scott’s Review #1,220

Reviewed January 16, 2022

Grade: A

In the times of the COVID pandemic, ‘water cooler’ films have ceased to exist. Once, employees would gather around the water cooler to discuss a current film or television show. These days, with many working from home, this activity has waned.

Too bad, because Don’t Look Up (2021) is one of those films.

It was not on my radar until a flurry of scuttlebutt and controversy brought the film to the forefront of my mind and many others. Super topical and mired in irony, everyone should see it, but those who need to won’t.

It’s a brazen and in-your-face look at how science and facts are dismissed by some who can’t see the forest for the trees, or in this case, a giant comet speeding towards planet Earth. In the year 2021, amid controversy over COVID-19, including the prevention of mask-wearing and vaccinations, Don’t Look Up portrays those as simply stupid.

As they are.

Those viewers who are conspiracy theorists, Trump supporters, or I daresay even too self-absorbed to look past their own lives are the ones who should see the film the most. You will be mocked and used as fodder for the entertainment of the more intelligent species of human beings.

But perhaps learn a thing or two?

Led by director Adam McKay, famous for satirical works such as 2015’s The Big Short, he satirizes the current state of worldly affairs masterfully, using political comparisons and the world-weary science versus non-science approach.

McKay also writes and produces.

He enlists an all-star cast who were chomping at the bit to be part of his relevant and brilliant project. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Mark Ryland, and Cate Blanchett are just a handful of participating stars.

Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence) is an astronomy graduate student who, along with her professor, Doctor Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio), makes a discovery of a comet on a collision course with Earth. It is expected to arrive within six months and destroy most of the planet.

They are shocked and dismayed when their attempts to get anyone to pay any attention are hijacked by the media and the President of the United States of America, President Orlean (Streep). Instead, folks in high power attempt to use the ‘story’ for either ratings or political gain.

With the help of Doctor Oglethorpe (Rob Morgan), Kate and Randall embark on a media tour that takes them to the airwaves of The Daily Rip, an upbeat morning show hosted by Brie (Cate Blanchett) and Jack (Tyler Perry). While Randall embarks on an affair with Brie, the scientists attempt to gain the attention of the social media-obsessed public before it’s too late.

As the title states, look up?!

President Orlean and her psychopathic son, and Chief of Staff, Jason (Jonah Hill), are patterned after former President Donald J. Trump and his son. Their nastiness and dismissive attitude, driven solely by personal gain, are despicable.

Hysterically and satisfying, they each get their proper comeuppance.

Orlean’s demise at the end of the film is particularly satisfying. Stay post-credits for this treat.

Don’t Look Up is not a conventional film- it’s better than that. Its special sauce is its powerful message and reassurance for viewers to not take good old-fashioned common sense for granted. Despite the naysayers, the use of one’s brain is a valuable commodity.

The urgency of the matter is not meant to be taken for granted, but there are enough comedic elements to classify it as such- a dark comedy.

DiCaprio is terrific in the lead role. Nervous and struggling to express himself, his frustration is palpable as he tries to warn the world of impending doom. The actor can play any character, and it’s great seeing him add a sexy, middle-aged nerd to his repertoire.

Lawrence is a killer. Her character has no filter and is known to burst into rage, making her outbursts particularly engaging. Kate will call an idiot an idiot. Her outburst at the President is a remarkably terrific scene.

Despite the laughter, Don’t Look Up (2021) sends a dire message. It mirrors the current times and what trouble we are in.

The grim final sequence, when Randall, Kate, and family sit around the dinner table enjoying a Thanksgiving-style meal, is also a reminder to keep loved ones close and treasure every moment.

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score

1961 Films, British, British Horror, Horror

The Curse of the Werewolf-1961

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The Curse of the Werewolf-1961

Director Terence Fisher

Starring Oliver Reed, Clifford Evans

Scott’s Review #1,219

Reviewed January 15, 2022

Grade: B

Oliver Reed, who was later famous for films like Oliver! (1968) and Women in Love (1969) made his first starring role in the low-budget Hammer Horror film The Curse of the Werewolf (1961). He carries the latter third of the film simply because his character doesn’t appear until then.

The film is divided into parts and is only slightly over one hour and thirty minutes long. The finale is the best chapter, and the others, while good, move too slowly, considering the brief running time.

This is the first werewolf film to be colorized and was heavily censored upon release.

Hammer Horror’s regular director, Terence Fisher, is at the helm, so the viewer feels soothed and secure. We know the quality will persevere, and I adored the setting of Spain, which has gothic steeples and a flavorful culture.

The Curse of the Werewolf is above average but not one of the best in the Hammer series.

Reed plays Leon Corledo, a man with brutal and macabre origins. He is adopted and raised in the home of a kind and respectable Don Alfredo Corledo (Clifford Evans). When he leaves Don Alfredo to find work, Leon discovers that he has increasingly violent urges.

Although Leon’s love for the beautiful Cristina (Catherine Feller) somewhat calms these fits, he regularly transforms into a werewolf and terrorizes the Spanish countryside.

Before the central part of the story, Leon’s mother is imprisoned and raped by a homeless beggar gone mad. Unfortunately, she gives birth on Christmas when the werewolf curse is started. She soon dies, and little Leon is taken in by Don and his motherly housekeeper, Teresa.

The middle sequence explains how Leon, as a little boy, escapes out his bedroom window to kill animals, thinking it’s all just a dream. Don and others try to hide Leon’s secret.

The curse doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Why does the Christmas holiday make an unwanted newborn “unlucky” and a vicious werewolf? Why is Leon the only werewolf around? Indeed, others are born on Christmas day.

Reed is the main draw as the handsome Leon, and he makes a lovely mate for Cristina, though too few scenes of them exist. It’s not explained why they fall in love other than that both are beautiful and that Cristina’s current intended mate is boorish.

But, then again, The Curse of the Werewolf is not a love story, so we accept some details with a grain of salt.

Any fan of Hammer horror films wants blood and mayhem, and there is a good smattering of each. The dastardly Marquis Siniestro who humiliates the beggar and nearly rapes the servant girl (Leon’s mother) gets it in the back from her with a jagged mirror and the death is bloody and satisfying.

Later, a slutty girl with designs on Leon is ravaged to death by him after he turns into a werewolf on a night with a full moon.

The finale is bittersweet and almost tender when Don must make a horrible decision to kill his son with a silver bullet made with a crucifix to prevent the tortured Leon from killing anymore and suffering a life of misery and regret.

The Curse of the Werewolf (1961) is not as satisfying as the Hammer horror films featuring Dracula or containing Christopher Lee or Peter Cushing.

Nobody will ever usurp Lon Chainey Jr.’s frightening portrayal of the wolfman decades earlier, but it’s fun to see Reed take center stage in the film.

There’s also enough to keep Hammer fans entertained.

1960 Films, British, British Horror, Horror

The Brides of Dracula-1960

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The Brides of Dracula-1960

Director Terence Fisher

Starring Peter Cushing, Yvonne Monlaur

Scott’s Review #1,218

Reviewed January 9, 2022

Grade: B+

It’s always impressive to me what Hammer Film Productions do with such a limited budget, mainly from a set and art direction perspective. With small funds, they can create gloomy yet beautiful set structures that are highly creative and appear lavish.

To the savvy viewer, this tidbit can make each film a treasure trove of enjoyment if only to look beyond the central activity and notice the style.

The Brides of Dracula (1960) is no exception.

The film is a sequel to the 1958 film Dracula (also known as Horror of Dracula), though the character of Count Dracula does not appear and is instead mentioned only twice. Fans of these films know that Christopher Lee portrays Dracula. Instead, the vicious vampire at the film’s center is Baron Meinster, a disciple of Dracula, played by David Peel.

The villain even bites his mother, played by Martita Hunt, making her undead and terrifying to the residents of a Spanish village.

Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) is the hero and must drive a stake through the heart of the vampire baron before he deviously makes innocent Marianne (Yvonne Monlaur) his bride.

Cushing is a familiar figure in Hammer horror film lore. He leads the charge as the film’s hero. I love the character because he is heroic and unflinching, always calm, cool, and collected in the face of sheer horror.

The sets are gothic and brilliant, especially the gloomy castle owned by the Baroness and her son. When she invites Marianne to spend the night, a threatening servant named Greta treats her to a stylish room and a ravishing dinner.

The exteriors are as good as the interiors and portray the village within Transylvania as cozy and homespun. Outside, the prominent inn run by the locals is inviting as much as it feels forbidden and haunted.

When Marianne is abandoned in the village by her terrified coach driver, we know that secrets or living creatures are waiting to be unearthed.

These atmospheric additions will compel audiences to tune in and enjoy the horrific moments.

Speaking of horror, The Brides of Dracula feels enough like camp and not scary, and comic elements exist throughout. No better example of this is the bumbling and boozy Doctor Tobler, played by character actor Miles Malleson.

While many moments are over the top, especially when a vampire character bares their fangs in the best hammy way, the film never feels foolish or amateurish.

A considerable misstep is naming the film The Brides of Dracula when no Dracula is ever found. I incorrectly assumed the Baron was Dracula until after the final credits rolled. This is a sneaky way to capitalize on the name recognition of Dracula.

There are too many fun moments in the film to harbor much resentment. Of the brides, my favorite is Gina, played by Andree Melly, who looks the most frightening.

The Brides of Dracula (1960) is an entertaining and pleasing chapter in the Hammer horror catalog. The expected elements include a crucifix and a healthy dose of holy water.

2021 Films, Horror, Slasher

Candyman-2021

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Candyman-2021

Director Nia DaCosta

Starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris

Scott’s Review #1,217

Reviewed January 8, 2022

Grade: B

Not being such a fan of the original Candyman horror film from 1992 though admittedly not remembering it too well either I had mixed feelings when I heard that a reboot was in the works.

I’ve learned that while most remakes, especially in the horror genre, are not masterpieces, there is some joy in seeing them resurface.

I was delighted when I realized that Jordan Peele, the magnificent modern director of gems like Get Out (2017) and Us (2019), had co-written the screenplay.

Peele tends to create intelligent and well-written black characters, a representation that is still underrepresented in film today.

I admire the creativity and visual aspects that the new Candyman (2021) offers, and the characters, primarily black, are to be respected and emulated because they are the heroes of the film.

The social message is another win, and Peele is not the only player deserving of credit: newcomer director Nia DaCosta treats the viewer to more than the story. An artsy and sophisticated downtown Chicago art gallery, along with a swanky apartment, are the main settings.

With all these credos, Candyman is not a complete win and is sometimes overcomplicated. The supernatural elements, paired with a socially relevant angle, are implausible, and I yearned for a more direct and accountable approach rather than fantastical storytelling.

The film has a specific left-wing message, which I champion but that others may not.

For as long as residents can remember, the urban housing projects of Chicago’s Cabrini-Green neighborhood have been terrorized by a word-of-mouth ghost story about a supernatural killer with a hook for a hand. He can easily be summoned by simply repeating his name five times into a mirror.

As a child, Anthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), who was a resident of the towers, met a man assumed to be the killer, who was then unnecessarily killed by police.

Decades later, the Cabrini towers are long gone, and Anthony is a struggling visual artist. He and his girlfriend, gallery director Brianna Cartwright (Teyonah Parris), move into a luxury loft condo in Cabrini, now gentrified and inhabited by affluent millennials.

Anthony has a chance encounter with a former Cabrini-Green resident named Billy Burke (Colman Domingo). Anthony begins to explore these macabre details in his paintings, unknowingly unleashing a supernatural beast and risking his own sanity.

The sophisticated visual style, especially the wonderful drawings featured at the start and end of Candyman, is impressive. They provide a heavy and realistic portrayal of African American culture and the generations of unfairness and mistreatment they have suffered.

This relates to the film’s point and is nuanced in explaining why the supernatural force with the hook rises in the first place and exacts vengeance on those who conjure it.

The final sequence cements this detail as a slaughter erupts between Anthony, Brianna, and the police. The police are portrayed as unkind and corrupt, but I get the point of the film. Oftentimes, the police are no friends of poor black people.

Despite the social element, Candyman doesn’t feel preachy.

The lead actors are attractive and appealing, and even the original Candyman, actor Tony Todd, makes a brief appearance. Other characters from the original also make appearances.

The kill scenes, a must for a horror film, are delightful, especially a sequence in which a troupe of gossipy schoolgirls meets their maker in a bloody girl’s bathroom scene. Besides being fun, the scene features a camera visual through a makeup compactor that is highly effective.

It’s just that when the credits rolled, I didn’t feel enough satisfaction from what I had just seen. I was more perplexed by how the legend intersected (or did he become?) relevant to present times and to Anthony specifically.

Candyman (2021) delivers an entertaining and relevant themed resurfacing of a thirty-year-old film that I’m glad I watched. It sometimes delivers, but an otherworldly spirit sometimes overshadows the realistic and important racial message.

1991 Films, Drama, Thriller

Backdraft-1991

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Backdraft-1991

Director Ron Howard

Starring Kurt Russell, William Baldwin

Scott’s Review #1,216

Reviewed January 2, 2022

Grade: B

Backdraft (1991) is a highly entertaining yet completely implausible action thriller film directed by Ron Howard.

If made today, it would be on par with Chicago Fire or any other of the slew of similar procedural NBC television shows that currently exist.

The film is even set in Chicago, just like the television series.

The story involves an arsonist on the loose and the subsequent investigation to catch them.

Howard is an influential and respectable director, but his films frequently harbor a safe territory, rarely veering too far left of center.

With Backdraft, I assumed I would get a by-the-numbers masculine film, and that is exactly what I received.

The beefy cast includes Kurt Russell, Billy Baldwin (brother of Alec), and Robert De Niro, with Jennifer Jason Leigh and Rebecca De Mornay serving as secondary female characters.

Chicago firefighting brothers Stephen (Russell) and Brian (Baldwin) have been rivals since childhood. Brian, struggling to prove himself as a worthy firefighter, transfers to the arson unit where he aids Inspector Don Rimgale (De Niro) in his current investigation.

There is a rash of fires involving oxygen-induced infernos called backdrafts.

But when a conspiracy implicating a crooked politician and an arsonist leads Brian back to Stephen, he is forced to overcome his brotherly competitiveness to crack the case.

Anyone involved in their local fire department or who has a strong sense of loyalty or brotherhood in a blue-collar vein will love Backdraft for its message.

The strong family unit that pervades most firehouses and police stations is evident throughout the film, fostering a sense of community.

It’s a nice feeling and sets the tone for the viewer to feel a part of things and root for the heroes to defeat whoever is responsible for the arson.

Could it be an unstable member of the fire community or an outsider harboring a grudge?

The story, despite being somewhat of a whodunit, is not the strongest aspect of Backdraft, nor is it much of a reason to tune in and follow. Too often, the writing is lazy or languishes in television-drama territory, with obvious, melodramatic situational setups.

The realism is not there. The fire sequences are completely stagy and meant to perfectly parlay the story elements rather than have an identity of their own.

With all that said, the star of the film is its visuals, which give Backdraft its adventure and edge-of-your-seat thrills. Even though I knew the fires and explosions were manipulated, I felt like I was inside a burning room with the hissing and crackling sounds of the fire and wind enveloping me.

It’s all for dramatic purposes, of course, but the state-of-the-art special effects are cool to experience.

This is the key to the success of a film like Backdraft and is enough for me to keep watching and become invested in the entire work.

Yes, many characters are types, and despite the big A-list stars, Russell and Baldwin are the only ones who have much of anything to do.

Their brotherly relationship, though fraught with friction, is at the heart of the characters, though the corny dialogue sometimes slips into soap-opera territory.

Backdraft (1991) is a cinematic Hollywood mainstream film that works on many levels. Forget the lazy storylines and the predictability factors for a minute. It provides a blazing-hot inferno of sharp visuals that are worthy of commendation and appreciation.

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

1988 Films, Drama, Romantic Drama

The Accidental Tourist-1988

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The Accidental Tourist-1988

Director Lawrence Kasdan

Starring William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, Geena Davis

Scott’s Review #1,215

Reviewed January 1, 2022

Grade: B+

Reuniting stars William Hurt and Kathleen Turner from 1981’s smoldering Body Heat, director Lawrence Kasdan creates a triangle of sorts with the addition of Geena Davis in The Accidental Tourist (1988).

She brings a quirky character to the fold in a film about death, tragedy, and a disintegrating marriage.

Despite the subject matter, it’s not a downer at all but rather a romantic drama brimming with rich characters and relatable situations.

There are laugh-out-loud moments and tender moments, all about the human spirit and the choices we must make.

It’s an above-average flick that received several Oscar nominations and feels patterned after a Woody Allen-style film.

I didn’t necessarily relate to any of the characters, nor did I need to see the film a second time, but I respect that Kasdan creates a picture that doesn’t need car chases, gratuitous violence, or nudity.

The Accidental Tourist is a quiet film about life. It is based on the 1985 novel of the same name written by Anne Tyler.

When their young son is suddenly murdered, the marriage between Macon (Hurt) and his wife, Sarah (Turner), flounders, and she moves out.

After an accident puts him on crutches, Macon goes to stay with his quirky siblings at the family home, where he meets the high-spirited Muriel (Geena Davis). She is a dog trainer with a young son of her own.

Macon develops a slow friendship with them that, surprisingly, blossoms into something more with Muriel. When Sarah learns about the situation, she attempts a reconciliation with Macon, who is forced to make a painful decision.

The intention feels like we, the audience, are supposed to root for Macon and Muriel to get together and not feel much sympathy for Sarah, but I did. After all, she is the one ultimately ditched, and there is nothing like a woman scorned.

I didn’t feel like there was even much of a triangle because the film is centered around Hurt’s character and the choices Macon must face. It’s about how he deals with change and the unexpected turns life can throw at anyone.

Sarah and Muriel must also face the same choices and life circumstances, but the focus is primarily on Macon.

The viewer will likely immerse themselves in these characters as they reflect on their own life and the trials and tribulations they have faced.

Though I have never read the novel, I suspect it is a tad better than the film, which limits the time available to explore the characters. Novels always have more time to delve deeper.

With that said, I got a fair share of backstory about Macon, Muriel, and Sarah, but didn’t gravitate toward any of them over the others.

Regarding the earlier note about The Accidental Tourist being like a Woody Allen film, it has an upbeat, quirky tone that masks much of the heartbreak Macon suffers from with some added comedy.

When Muriel hops a flight to Paris to follow her heart and Macon, it’s something a character in an Allen film would do.

Since Macon is a travel guide writer, the film has a rich cultural and tourism flavor, which is pleasing. London and Paris are the central locales, and Kadan does a great job with the international stuff.

A tad long and dragging at times, The Accidental Tourist (1988) has enough juiciness to satisfy any viewer drawn to well-written screenplays about emotional characters and the ups and downs of life.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress-Geena Davis (won), Best Screenplay-Based on Material from Another Medium, Best Original Score

2005 Films, Comedy, Romantic Comedy, Screwball Comedy

The 40-Year-Old Virgin-2005

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The 40-Year-Old Virgin-2005

Director Judd Apatow

Starring Steve Carell

Scott’s Review #1,214

Reviewed December 31, 2021

Grade: B-

I am not a fan of director/producer Judd Apatow.

His brand of silly comedy that includes objectification of women, homophobic language, and plain old unfunny attempts at slapstick comedy doesn’t go very far or sit particularly well with me.

His directorial debut is The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), which has a fresh feel and would ultimately lead to less worthy efforts like Knocked Up (2007) and This Is 40 (2012).

Admittedly, the title alone had me and many others brimming with curiosity.

The freshness is mostly due to the leading actor, Steve Carell, in a role that would propel him to film stardom and to much better roles in the future.

So, I guess The 40-Year-Old Virgin deserves credit for that.

Typically, in Apatow’s films, the female characters are written as uptight, shrewish, and bitchy, whereas the male characters are goofy and fun-loving. The audience is supposed to root for the men and dislike the women.

The 40-Year-Old Virgin is no exception.

Still, the film does have a sweet-natured and innocent feeling amid the stereotypes, potty jokes, and obscenity that lie within. We root for the underdog to succeed in life and champion his plight despite it being a carnal and sexual one.

Andy Stitzer (Carell) is a tender yet socially inept man who works a lowly job at a big-box store. Single and living alone, 40-year-old Andy whiles away the days playing video games and admiring his action-figure collection. He is your classic, lovable nerd.

He harbors an embarrassing secret.

Despite his age, Andy has never engaged in sex, so his friends, including his closest friend David (Paul Rudd), encourage Andy to lose his virginity.

While trying to overcome his awkwardness around female customers, Andy meets a local shop owner, Trish (Catherine Keener), and they begin an early romance.

With any Apatow film, the rest is highly predictable, and the blueprint is formulaic and easy to figure out.

Andy will face humiliation due to his predicament and the bumbling yet well-intentioned behavior of David and his other friend, Cal, played by Seth Rogen.

He will inevitably have awkward encounters with a few other female characters, in this case, the aggressive Beth, played by Elizabeth Banks, before finding love with the ‘good girl’ Trish.

They will ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after. Spoiler alert- they have sex!

The best, and arguably only good part of The 40-Year-Old Virgin is Carell’s Andy. The character brings a warmth and a vulnerability that causes the audience to sympathize with his plight.

While the majority of the viewers will not relate to being a virgin at his age, they can at least relate to having an embarrassing issue to deal with.

I am glad that this film led to meatier roles for Carell. Foxcatcher (2014) and his storied role as Michael Scott in television’s The Office (2005-2013) immediately spring to mind.

Keener, mostly known for her dramatic rather than comedic roles, is decent as the main love interest, Trish.

She, like Andy, is a rootable character, though we don’t know too much about her. She is fond of Andy, so we like her and hope she takes Andy’s cherry.

The rest of The 40-Year-Old Virgin is riddled with standard comic setups and situations.

When Andy slips and reveals his virginity, by the next day, his entire store knows his secret. From there, the insulting additions of a transvestite prostitute and a weird speed dating situation arise.

We know all along that Trish is the girl he will be with.

Apatow unwisely gives his film an interminable two-hour and thirteen-minute running time, which feels too long for a situation comedy.

One hour and thirty minutes would have been ideal. The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005) is not the worst offender in the Apatow collection, but it offers no surprises or attempts at diversity.

It’s a perfect example of a tried and true adult sex romp with, thankfully, a likable central character.

2021 Films, Comedy, Drama, Los Angeles

Licorice Pizza-2021

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Licorice Pizza-2021

Director Paul Thomas Anderson

Starring Alana Haim, Cooper Hoffman

Scott’s Review #1,213

Reviewed December 27, 2021

Grade: A

Licorice Pizza (2021) is a Los Angeles-based coming-of-age drama by director Paul Thomas Anderson.

Anderson is one of my favorite directors, and the film is a must-see for fans of his. Most fans of his yearn to see everything he creates, and this one will not disappoint.

One may initially yawn at the tired coming-of-age drama genre, and I did too, but once I heard that Anderson was directing, my curiosity was piqued, and I felt secure in the knowledge that the film would be different.

Indeed, Licorice Pizza is special and has a charm all its own.

The expected killer musical soundtrack, prevalent in many Anderson films, is there and befitting of the time of 1973. A bit of quirky black humor and general weirdness is also there, and so are cameos by A-list superstars like Sean Penn and Bradley Cooper.

Speaking of the soundtrack, they may not be the expected top hits of the time, but more obscure gems like ‘Life On Mars?” by David Bowie, “Walk Away” by Joe Walsh, or “But You’re Mine” by Sonny & Cher. I enjoyed the under-the-radar approach as it fits the central characters.

Besides these and other juicy trimmings, the story is an excellent romantic comedy featuring up-and-coming Hollywood stars, Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman.

They carry the film and emit tremendous chemistry from their very first scene. Haim is in a rock band, and Hoffman is the son of actor and frequent Anderson star Phillip Seymore Hoffman. I bet Dad would be proud of his son.

For a recent comparison, Licorice Pizza shares a similar setting and tone with Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), although the stories are pretty dissimilar.

Alana Kane (Haim) and Gary Valentine (Hoffman) are twenty-five years old and fifteen years old, respectively.  They grew up, ran around, and fell in love in California’s San Fernando Valley in 1973.

Gary is a child actor who also runs his own public relations business, while Alana is a struggling photographer’s assistant yearning to do something more meaningful.

Immediately rebuffing the advances of a ‘child,’ Alana slowly falls for Gary, and the two forge an unbroken bond as they navigate successes, failures, heartbreaks, and longings.

The setting of sunny California in 1973 is pure genius, as Anderson authentically transports us there with the cars, clothing, and hairstyles that were then considered trendy.

The added pleasure of seeing stars of the day, such as Jack Holden (really William Holden), Lucy Doolittle (really Lucille Ball), and film producer John Peters, is downright gleeful.

Not to be outdone, Sean Penn, Christine Ebersole, and Bradley Cooper portray these figures. Each actor is delightful in their respective roles, with my favorite being Penn as the martini-slugging Holden.

But the film is hardly about celebrity sightings in a long-ago era.

During the final act, Alana becomes enamored with a politician for whom she works. Not a superfluous romantic entanglement, the figure is Joel Wachs, a real-life then closeted gay male who later would champion gay causes.

The film showcases the pain of a closeted gay man and his secretive boyfriend as Alana helps them put up a front to avoid his career being ruined.

At the heart of Licorice Pizza, though, remains the romance of Gary and Alana. The fact that there is a ten-year age gap between them should be a big deal, but somehow it’s not.

Gary can be precocious and sometimes a little shit, and Alana is moody and temperamental, but I fell in love with them anyway, and other viewers will assuredly share my passion for the pair.

They try to get through their youth with some plan or semblance of direction, and the joy is to accompany them and enjoy the ride.

There is a freshness and honesty to Licorice Pizza (2021) that cannot be shaken. Thanks in large part to Hoffman and Haim, the film is one of those that exude magnificence and appeal that is hard to put into words.

Viewers of any age will be immediately transported back to their young adulthood and the feelings and inadequacies that come with it.

I wish more films of this ilk were made.

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Best Director-Paul Thomas Anderson, Best Original Screenplay

1935 Films, British, Thriller

The 39 Steps-1935

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The 39 Steps-1935

Director Alfred Hitchcock

Starring Robert Donat, Madeleine Carroll

Scott’s Review #1,212

Reviewed December 26, 2021

Grade: A-

Before Alfred Hitchcock conquered American audiences in the 1950s and 1960s, he made many British films, many of which are overlooked gems.

The 39 Steps (1935) is a film nestled among that category, providing thrilling escapism and a spy-tinged subject matter that has an everyman on the run.

The plot pattern is very familiar because Hitchcock used it later in his American films, such as The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) and The Wrong Man (1956).

Rather than a carbon copy, The 39 Steps is a pure delight for any Hitchcock fan because the viewer can see facets and ideas the director would later bestow on his other films. There is enough originality to please anyone looking for a good thrill.

It is very loosely based on the 1915 adventure novel The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan.

The story centers on Richard Hannay (Robert Donat), a Canadian civilian on holiday in London. He unintentionally becomes involved in preventing an organization of spies nicknamed “The 39 Steps” from stealing British military secrets.

After being mistakenly accused of the murder of a counter-espionage agent, Richard flees to Scotland. He becomes tangled up with an attractive woman named Pamela (Madeleine Carroll) while hoping to stop the spy ring and clear his name.

It’s a simple story that immediately compels viewers to root for Richard since we know he is innocent. Perhaps he can find romance along the way with Pamela and stop the bad guys. So, there is little ambiguity with how the story is supposed to wind up.

The fun is getting there.

Assuming this isn’t one’s first time watching a Hitchcock film, and it has been nearly a hundred years since The 39 Steps was made, I sincerely doubt it. There are oodles of sequences to enjoy. If one asks, “Does this scene seem familiar?” it is because many of them are.

The London Music Hall Theatre and the London Palladium brim with recognition, especially after a catchy tune that Richard cannot forget comes into play. It’s too easy not to think of Doris Day’s hit “Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be),” featured as a key element of The Man Who Knew Too Much or even the London setting itself.

To switch for a moment to another Hitchcock masterpiece, North by Northwest (1959), the frequent dashing across the lands by foot or locomotion comes into play in a big way in The 39 Steps.

I loathe making comparisons because The 39 Steps delivers some goods on its own merits. The action in the Scottish Highlands is fantastic and a treat for anyone who has visited the lovely and picturesque area.

Richard’s daring trip aboard the Flying Scotsman expresses that the train to Scotland is a compelling adventure.

The chemistry between Richard and Pamela is decent but not great. It’s not the focal point of the film, so I didn’t necessarily mind that. The clear intent was for her to first fear him but then have the characters fall in love. We never really get there, but it seems to be the purpose.

The main villain is Professor Jordan (Godfrey Tearle), who Richard tries to prevent from sending secrets out of the country.

Sure, there are better-quality Alfred Hitchcock films to bask in once he got his groove decades later, and one can assuredly boast that Vertigo (1958) and Psycho (1960) are superior films.

But The 39 Steps (1935) is a blueprint of the brilliance the director had in his head at this time, and it is a pure treat to witness.

1945 Films, Christmas, Comedy, Connecticut, Romantic Comedy

Christmas in Connecticut-1945

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Christmas in Connecticut-1945

Director Peter Godfrey

Starring Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan

Scott’s Review #1,211

Reviewed December 24, 2021

Grade: B+

Christmas in Connecticut (1945) is a flavorful holiday romantic yarn that will please those looking for a snowy, laugh-out-loud experience with zany moments and silly situations, but that works nonetheless.

Any foodie craving a film that dazzles with showcasing excellent meals will enjoy this treat.

The film also oozes New York’s sophistication and New England’s atmosphere, creating a cinematic balance between city and country.

Despite the colorful cover art, Christmas in Connecticut is shot in black and white, which is better.

The key selling point is the instant chemistry between the leads, Barbara Stanwyck and Dennis Morgan, who carry the film.

Stanwyck had just made the vastly different Double Indemnity (1944), and Morgan was a singer, allowing him to perform a memorable song.

Together, they shine.

Actors like Sydney Greenstreet, S.Z. Sakall and Una O’Connor provide perfect comic timing in their roles, allowing the leads to take the stage in the romance department.

Not to be missed is the timely release of the film in 1945, the year that World War II ended, and a necessary time for a cheery film like Christmas in Connecticut. The main character is an Army veteran who begins the film injured in a vet hospital, but the film opts not to make it a dreary, real-life experience.

The action starts in the Atlantic Ocean, where war hero Jefferson Jones (Dennis Morgan) is stranded on a raft with his mate. He imagines the raft a clean dining room table brimming with delicious food and his mate his waiter.

Awakened in a hospital, he tricks his nurse, Mary Lee (Joyce Compton), into becoming his fiancée so he can be fed steak dinners.

While recovering, he grows familiar with the “Diary of a Housewife” column written by Elizabeth Lane (Barbara Stanwyck), the Martha Stewart of the 1940s. She provides cooking advice for her readers.

Mary arranges with Elizabeth’s publisher, Alexander Yardley (Greenstreet), for Jeff to spend the holiday at Elizabeth’s lavish Connecticut farm with her husband and child.

However, the column is a sham, so Elizabeth arranges to marry her friend, John Sloan (Reginald Gardiner), to make it appear that she is the domestic she claims to be in her columns.

How she can write popular columns that dole out cooking and housekeeping advice without knowing anything about either subject is ludicrous but part of the fun.

When she meets Jeff, they fall madly in love at first sight.

The film is one madhouse situation after another, and while Elizabeth and Jeff will undoubtedly live happily ever after, the main appeal is how they will reach that point.

From the first scene, when they meet at the Connecticut farm, there is instant chemistry between Stanwyck and Morgan that lasts the entire film.

Their gazes and glances made me root for them.

The fun is the situations the pair is put through, mostly Elizabeth. As she pretends she has a baby, she borrows a neighbor’s baby and hastily names him Robert, unaware that the baby is a girl. When Jeff, who is more domestic than Elizabeth, changes the baby’s diaper, he is in for a shock.

That Elizabeth knows nothing about cooking or a baby is the hilarity of Christmas in Connecticut. She awkwardly tries to flip a flapjack or handle a cow or other situation comedy moments that make the film as good as it is.

Stanwyck is fantastic as a woman on the verge of being found out.

Handsome Dennis Morgan portrays a good American man who will make an even better husband, which is a large part of his appeal. We long for Elizabeth and Jeff to be together.

A bevy of food scenes and references appear. Besides the flapjacks and steak sequences, steaming plates of good food and drink appear in almost every scene.

Elizabeth’s uncle/chef and housekeeper, played by Sakall and O’Connor, respectively, light up the screen in comical scenes. I hoped the pair would find their romance together, but this never came to fruition.

An endearing seasonal nugget, Christmas in Connecticut (1945), will please fans of good-natured romance tinged with physical comedy. It has a heart and a pleasant veneer showcasing hapless misunderstandings that lead to the inevitable and satisfying conclusion.

1989 Films, Fantasy, Science Fiction

The Abyss-1989

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The Abyss-1989

Director James Cameron

Starring Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio

Scott’s Review #1,210

Reviewed December 19, 2021

Grade: B+

Well before he created Titanic (1997) and Avatar (2009) and became a household name, director James Cameron made the gorgeous, special effects-laden film The Abyss (1989).

The film followed hits like Terminator (1984) and Aliens (1986).

These films undoubtedly allowed him to make a film that he wanted to make with the necessary freedoms.

The Abyss is completely visual, and the interesting cast of characters, with potential for development, is never allowed to shine through, instead feeling stale.

They are usurped by the constant flow of underwater, lush, worldly spectacles that utterly encompass the film.

Even when the central characters get a moment to dig deeper into their backstories, Cameron never goes for the emotional jugular, instead encouraging viewers to focus on the extraterrestrial and science-fiction elements rather than on his characters.

That’s the type of director Cameron is, and I recommend watching The Abyss on the big screen, or the biggest screen possible.

I did not recognize the sheer bombast that a cinema watching would render.

I missed out.

The film, and specifically Cameron, must be heralded for the vast loveliness of the art direction, visual effects, and cinematography.

Forget the convoluted plot entirely and sit back and enjoy the spectacle.

Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio portray Bud and Dr. Lindsey Brigman, formerly married petroleum engineers who still have some issues to work out.

When an American submarine sinks in the Caribbean, a US search and recovery team works with an oil platform crew, racing against Soviet vessels to recover the boat.

Deep in the ocean, they encounter something unexpected, and the American team is determined to find out what it is. Is it the Russians or a deadly and intelligent extraterrestrial force?

The story is overly complicated and riddled with stereotypical plot points.

As the team becomes submerged in their submarine, they encounter the usual troubles: a hurricane, a rogue team leader, a flooded rig, and freezing temperatures.

Harris and Mastrantonio have pretty good chemistry here, but we never fully grasp their marital problems or why there is a distance between them. Thrown together on this mission, they predictably face peril and come close to losing each other.

When they embrace in the final scene, it is a wrapped up as a tight bow sort of ending that underwhelms.

But, man, the visuals are amazing. When the team drops at the alien city in the deepest trenches of the ocean floor, the beautiful underwater camera shots take center stage.

The technical consistency is simply breathtaking and becomes the focal point of the film.

I daresay The Abyss (1989) features the greatest underwater sequences ever seen on film to date, but somehow, decades later, the film feels forgotten or overshadowed by Cameron’s other works.

Perhaps the dated Cold War plotline and the traditional romance have not served the film well in the long run.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects (won), Best Sound

2021 Films, Horror

The Forever Purge-2021

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The Forever Purge-2021

Director Everardo Valerio Gout

Starring Tenoch Huerta, Josh Lucas, Ana de la Reguera

Scott’s Review #1,209

Reviewed December 18, 2021

Grade: B+

To date, I’ve seen two of the four installments of The Purge film franchise.

The first one, The Purge (2013), was an edgy, creative concept that brought fresh energy to the horror genre. The sequel, The Purge: Anarchy (2014), was a decent follow-up but nothing to write home about either.

I skipped the next two: The Purge: Election Year (2016) and The First Purge (2018).

My expectations were low for the latest effort, The Forever Purge (2021). I’ve seen way too many ‘part five’ of various horror films to be tricked into thinking anything different will be offered to me.

I was pleasantly surprised.

While the film doesn’t rewrite the rulebooks and sticks to a familiar formula for this type of film, a timely political plot surrounding immigration emerges, mirroring the deadly ‘Trump era’ that the United States is still in the midst of, ever since the 2016 presidential election.

After the film ended, I first chuckled, but then felt sad at the message that perhaps at some point, citizens of the United States will flee to Mexico instead of the other way around.

It’s a somber message worth taking seriously.

In the first scene, we see Adela (Ana de la Reguera) and her husband, Juan (Tenoch Huerta), crossing the border from Mexico to live in Texas, where Juan is working as a ranch hand for the wealthy Tucker family. We presume they are illegal immigrants.

Juan impresses the Tucker patriarch, Caleb (Will Patton), but that fuels the jealous anger of Caleb’s son, Dylan (Josh Lucas). The residents of the small town prepare for the annual Purge, where all crime, including murder, is legal for one night only.

On the morning after The Purge, a masked gang of killers attacks the Tucker family including Dylan’s pregnant wife (Cassidy Freeman), and his sister (Leven Rambin), forcing both families to band together and fight back as the country spirals into chaos and the United States begins to crumble around them.

The insurrectionist movement continues committing crimes and murders nationwide after the Purge’s ending. The gang and their supporters spread throughout the United States as a Civil War eventually erupts, causing many residents of Texas to flee to neighboring Mexico.

Unusual for a horror film, the premise and screenplay are well-written. The social message is a unique one, solidifying the importance of the action being taken. Rather than feeling superfluous, I instead imagined that the events could occur in the real-life current United States.

It was an unsettling feeling that made me focus on the film even more than I would have otherwise.

I love that James DeMonaco (director of the first three and writer of all five) is so heavily involved with the franchise. This consistency brings continuity and a good flow to the series. A sixth film is already in the works.

Too often in horror films, a new regime emerges and changes everything we knew from the preceding films.

The progressive slant of DeMonaco and director Everardo Gout won me over, and I champion that the Mexican characters are the heroes of the film. Not to be forgotten, the caucasian Tucker family is written as sympathizing with and supporting their Mexican friends, becoming strong allies.

Where The Forever Purge lags a bit is with the traditionally standard action sequences. Numerous occurrences of shootouts between the Tuckers and Mexican family (they are never given a last name) and the radical movement become tired and standard after a while.

I sometimes felt like I was watching an episode of The Walking Dead.

The insurrectionists are portrayed as your basic dumb rednecks with primitive ideals and racist viewpoints, but you never hear the current government’s side of the story. It is explained that the New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA) have regained control of the U.S. government; however, the explanations provided are limited.

It is supposed to be 2048, but this point feels silly since it is present times as far as hairstyles, clothing, and automobiles go.

I credit the thoughtful and forward-thinking approach that DeMonaco provides to The Forever Purge (2021). The political commentary is a huge win in an otherwise entertaining yet standard dystopian action horror film.

The film may be dated in ten or twenty years, but in 2021, the message is pretty damned frightening.

2021 Films, Biography, Drama

Respect-2021

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Respect-2021

Director Liesl Tommy

Starring Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans

Scott’s Review #1,208

Reviewed December 17, 2021

Grade: B-

I had high hopes when I heard that a new biopic based on the life and times of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, was in the works.

My elation was solidified when Jennifer Hudson was cast in the iconic role. It seemed just perfect for her.

After all, the singer has pipes for miles and is now far removed from her appearance as a chubby but lovable young upstart on television’s American Idol. She has already won an Oscar for portraying a singer Effie White in Dreamgirls (2006) and is firmly established in the big leagues.

Sadly, Respect (2021) underwhelms through no fault of Hudson’s.

Almost every aspect of the film is standard and by the numbers, and the word ‘safe’ comes to mind multiple times throughout the viewing. On par with a television movie rather than a big-screen spectacle, the feature can largely be skipped, except for Hudson’s performance scenes.

Hudson’s finale of ‘Amazing Grace’ is astonishing, as is the real-life performance by Aretha Franklin for President Obama and his wife, Michelle, that appears over the closing credits.

I would recommend this film only for the die-hard Aretha fans. If novice South African director, Liesl Tommy, had visions of mirroring the recent successes of Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) or Rocket Man (2019), she sadly missed the mark completely.

For a similar experience, watch the superior What’s Love Got to Do with It (1993) starring Angela Bassett as Tina Turner.

Respect follows the rise of Aretha Franklin’s career, from a privileged child singing in her father’s church choir to her international superstardom and her journey to find her voice.

She battles her ‘demons’ like overindulging in alcohol and dating abusive men as she struggles with the rigors of touring and recording hit singles, becoming a demanding diva along the way.

The film contains nearly every cliche in the book, and I have my doubts that all of the plots are even factual. It is expected that Franklin falls for a charismatic yet abusive man and returns home with a black eye to her controlling father, played by Forest Whitaker.

The talented actor has little to do besides what you would expect from a typical controlling movie father.

She struggles with her career, battles the bottle, collapses on stage, fights with her family, scolds a housekeeper, reunites with her sisters, returns to the stage a star, and just about every other experience that the rise and fall and rise again of a superstar would behold.

Strangely, the film’s timeline primarily spans from 1962 to 1972, during the singer’s rise to fame. Notably, one period was also skipped over in her return to the top of the charts in 1985 with ‘Freeway of Love’ or any of her other 1980s hits.

She died in 2018, so much of her life is not featured at all.

Aretha is often portrayed as being overweight, despite being overweight for most of her life. The fact that Hudson, who was once overweight herself and is now svelte, is in the lead role suggests that either Hudson or the filmmakers (or both) didn’t want her to be perceived as fat.

While understandable, missed is an essential trademark of the Queen of Soul.

The best parts of Respect are when Hudson performs. Besides her brilliant rendition of ‘Amazing Grace’, other treats are ‘Think’, ‘I Say a Little Prayer’, and, naturally, ‘Respect’. Hudson rises to the occasion with every number.

Jennifer Hudson excels in a role for which she is perfectly cast. She successfully channels her inner Aretha Franklin and soars when she is allowed to let loose and give a brilliant performance.

Unfortunately, the rest of the material is lackluster, with dialogue and situations that are generic, and a gnawing feeling of watching Jennifer Hudson perform Aretha Franklin’s songs cannot be shaken.

I expected greatness out of Respect (2021), but all I got was mediocrity.

2021 Films, Drama, Musical, Musical Drama

West Side Story-2021

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West Side Story-2021

Director Steven Spielberg

Starring Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose

Scott’s Review #1,207

Reviewed December 12, 2021

Grade: A

I salivated when the news broke that a reboot of the brilliant 1961 film West Side Story, itself based on a Broadway musical, was being planned.

I was cautiously optimistic when I heard Steven Spielberg would direct the production. Nothing personal against Mr. Spielberg, but there have been some misses with musical adaptations over the years.

Does anyone remember Cats (2019)? I know, we are all trying to forget it.

Nonetheless, my anticipation was temporarily sidelined due to the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic. Still, art always perseveres, and the release of the new West Side Story was pushed back from December 2020 to December 2021.

Finally, the moment had arrived, and I was even fortunate enough to score members-only sneak preview tickets to an early screening at my local art theater.

Hooray!

West Side Story (2021) is a brilliant adaptation that does not disappoint in the least, offering entertainment and authenticity in abundance. It’s bombastic and enthralling, mixing romance with some quite brutal fight scenes.

The delightful songs “Maria”, “America”, “Tonight”, “I Feel Pretty”, and my personal favorite “Somewhere” are all included and are like new gifts for fans to unwrap greedily.

This may be Spielberg’s best effort yet (I never thought he’d top 1993’s Schindler’s List), as he recreates a musical spectacle that will surely entice viewers back to the cinema.

The reboot has life, artistry, and expressionism, breathing fresh energy into the production. In some ways, it surpasses the 1961 version.

Despite being created in the late 1950s, a remains timely. Racism sadly still exists in America, and we have much work to do to unite as one if we ever do. This may feel hopeless, but the film’s message is one of love and unity, offering hints of hopefulness.

How timely and how much we need this film.

The film has a more profound sentiment in light of the recent death of Stephen Sondheim, the masterful composer and lyricist who revolutionized the American musical. He worked in tandem with Leonard Bernstein on most of these songs.

For those unfamiliar, let me briefly summarize the film’s plot.

Love, at first sight, strikes when young Tony (Ansel Elgort) spots Maria (Rachel Zegler) at a high school dance in 1957 New York City. Forbidden from having anything to do with each other except to hate each other, their immediate romance helps fuel the fire between the warring Jets and Sharks —two rival gangs vying for control of the streets.

Things go from tense to terrible when street fights between the gangs lead to mayhem, misunderstandings, and death.

The film is crafted exceptionally well from a visual and cinematic perspective. From the opening sequence, when the gangs stumble amongst the ruins of a decrepit west side lot, there are intriguing shadows and shapes, and high camera shots.

These moments continue throughout the film, as the flawless choreography of the dance scene takes center stage.

Speilberg corrects missteps that the 1961 version made, which brought a broad smile to my face. The Puerto Rican characters, which make up half the cast, are played by Hispanic actors. The big mistake the original film made was casting Caucasian actors who passed for Puerto Rican.

The chemistry between Richard Baymer (original Tony) and Natalie Wood (original Maria) was lacking, but it explodes off the screen from the first moment that Elgort and Zegler appear together.

Rita Morena, familiar to West Side Story fans with her portrayal of Anita in the 1961 version, returns in the role of Valentina, who runs Doc’s general store and is assumed to be the widow of Doc.

It is explained that Valentina, a Puerto Rican, married a white man. Morena’s role is much bigger than I thought, and she performs a magnificent, tear-jerking version of “Somewhere”.

The casting is flawless. Standouts are Elgort (Tony), Ziegler (Maria), Ariana DeBose (Anita), David Alvarez (Bernardo), and Mike Faist (Riff), but the entire company performs flawlessly and effortlessly.

The character of Anybodys, a tomboy in the original, is cast with a transgender actor, Iris Menas, which provides rich diversity and inclusion.

West Side Story (2021) is an instant classic that I eagerly anticipate seeing again and again. I’ll never waver in my love and devotion to the original version.

Still, the new version is an exceptional achievement in authenticity, style, and pizazz that will assuredly remind viewers why they love the cinema so much.

It certainly reminded me.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Picture, Best Director-Steven Spielberg, Best Supporting Actress-Ariana DeBose (won), Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Sound

1985 Films, Adventure, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Back to the Future-1985

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Back to the Future-1985

Director Robert Zemeckis

Starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd

Scott’s Review #1,205

Reviewed December 5, 2021

Grade: A-

As a child of the 1980s, I was left with an indelible mark by films like Back to the Future (1985).

I fondly recall excitedly going to the movie theater on a Saturday afternoon with a giant tub of popcorn in tow and enjoying the hell out of this film.

I’ve subsequently seen it several times since.

There exists a magical, futuristic element that left me and countless other youngsters and adults alike with a sense of wonder. And one amazing car!

Michael J. Fox, a huge television star of the 1980s largely thanks to the sitcom Family Ties, powered through to the big screen with the help of this film and others.

The 1980s were a wonderful decade to grow up in.

Small-town California teen Marty McFly (Fox) is thrown back into the 1950s when an experiment by his eccentric scientist friend Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) goes awry.

Traveling through time in an amazing DeLorean, Marty encounters younger versions of his parents (Crispin Glover, Lea Thompson) and must ensure they fall in love, or he will cease to exist.

To further complicate matters, Marty then has to return to his own time and save Doc Brown’s life.

Back to the Future is one of those films that has something for everyone, and the stars are perfectly aligned to make it a blockbuster popcorn hit.

Besides the science fiction elements, there is humor, a cool 1950s throwback vibe, romance, and natural chemistry between Fox and Lloyd, who together carry the film.

It’s hardly an art film and goes for the jugular with mainstream additions like a killer soundtrack led by The Power of Love by Huey Lewis and the News, which was all over top 40 radio in the summer of ’85.

Counterbalancing the current times was another smash hit, Johnny B. Goode, a 1958 Chuck Berry tune.

There is a safe vibe for sure, and director Robert Zemeckis knows his action-adventure romantic comedies. This may be his best work, but he also skews adding much diversity or heavy topics. He creates a fun, entertaining film.

Fox is perfectly cast as Marty, and I cannot imagine anyone else in the role. However, method actor Eric Stolz was the original choice and spent several dismal weeks filming scenes before he was replaced.

Fox is the ultimate boy next door, cute but goofy, and relatable to teenage boys across middle America.

Lloyd is perfect as the zany Doc Brown. He is wacky without being too ridiculous and bridges the gap between generations. The character is presumed to be old enough to be Marty’s (in present-day) grandfather, and the two characters rely on each other.

Back to the Future shows that an unlikely friendship can develop.

The film also effectively depicts the vast differences between the 1950s and the 1980s. At a simpler time, the 1950s are viewed as wholesome, while the 1980s are perceived as the decade of excess, and some fun is poked at both generations.

But both generations can also connect.

In a moment of crisis, Marty helps secure his parents’ bond and ensures he is created. This could be viewed as icky to some, but the romance between the two parents is tender and sweet.

The interactions between all characters are sentimental without being saccharine.

Back to the Future was the feel-good film of 1985 and a must-see for those living in the period. It holds up surprisingly well, with the state-of-the-art special effects not looking dated or laughable now.

It also explores growing up as an adolescent and identifying with one’s parents and the differences they have.

Who can’t relate to that in some way?

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Song-“The Power of Love, Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing (won)

1981 Films, Action, Comedy, Screwball Comedy

The Cannonball Run-1981

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The Cannonball Run-1981

Director Hal Needham

Starring Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett

Scott’s Review #1,204

Reviewed December 4, 2021

Grade: B-

The Cannonball Run (1981) is someone’s idea of collecting big film and television stars of the time and throwing them into a film with a pointless plot about cross-country road racing.

Truth be told, it’s a pretty bad film.

But it’s a fun way to spend 90 minutes seeing a multitude of celebrities in both cameos and leading roles. Otherwise, The Cannonball Run should be skipped.

Taking a glance at the list of players, we have Burt Reynolds, Farrah Fawcett, Roger Moore, Sammy Davis Jr., Dom DeLuise, Peter Fonda, Dean Martin, Jamie Farr, Jackie Chan, Bert Convy, and Terry Bradshaw.

Hopefully, the actors had a good time making the film.

The acting is not stellar, and one wonders if many of the cast phoned it in or even read much of the script. The out-takes look like everyone was having one grand old time.  And whether some were even sober during the shooting is debatable.

The film is loosely based on the 1979 running of an actual cross-country outlaw road race in the United States, beginning in Connecticut and ending in California.

It was one of 1981’s most successful films at the box office, which is a scary realization. It was followed by two forgettable sequels- Cannonball Run II (1984) and Speed Zone (1989).

Feeling very thrown together, director Hal Needham is most known for collaborations with Burt Reynolds involving cars and car chases, so the plot, if one wants to call it that, is right up his alley.

Race teams gather in Connecticut to start a cross-country car race. One at a time, teams drive up to the starters’ stand, punch a time card to record their departure time, and then take off.

The reward for the winner is one million dollars. A representative of the “Safety Enforcement Unit” tries to stop the race due to its environmental impact and safety concerns.

Various teams are shown either evading law enforcement, most of which deal with talking their way out of a possible ticket, or concocting crazy schemes to outmaneuver their opponents.

The winner of the race is rather unimportant.

It’s all silly and not to be taken seriously. There are plenty of stereotypes, like Jamie Farr’s Middle-Eastern wealthy sheik driving a Rolls-Royce and the inevitable scantily clad females in tight wear.

Despite The Cannonball Run being riddled with enough negative aspects to make me hate the film, it’s kind of fun.

The bevy of different vehicles, like an ambulance, an Aston Martin DB5 (driven by Moore’s James Bond, imitating the character, of course), a Ferrari, and a Chevrolet Malibu, are all entertaining.

There is no character development, nor are there any characters with any depth, so the only reason to see the film is for the speedy cars and the competition.

And to see which celebrity will appear next.

A slapstick film that makes even the similarly penned Smokey and the Bandit (1977) seem like high art, The Cannonball Run (1981) is a must-see only for genre fans or those who are willing to watch and perhaps even be entertained by any movie.

I haven’t seen the film in eons, but I can imagine it’s a film only meant for its time and now would feel incredibly dated.

2012 Films, Comedy, Dark Comedy, Fantasy

Dark Shadows-2012

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Dark Shadows-2012

Director Tim Burton

Starring Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter

Scott’s Review #1,203

Reviewed December 3, 2021

Grade: C+

Sometimes a great idea doesn’t pan out. On paper, relaunching the unique and gothic 1960s daytime television series Dark Shadows with a tribute on the big screen with even bigger stars sounds wonderful.

The endless possibilities and the inevitable nods to history are head-spinning.

Sadly, the film version of Dark Shadows (2012) directed by Tim Burton is miscategorized and misunderstood by all involved. It’s billed as a dark comedy rather than horror or even fantasy and comes across as more of a mockery than a real nod to the series.

It’s completely over-the-top and misses any of the wonder and the spookiness that made the long-ago black and white show a daily adventure.

I do not profess to have seen the entire series but I have watched much of the first season and understand the appeal. Fans will be disheartened by Burton’s botched attempts to recreate a great idea.

Depp, a frequent guest star in Burton’s film works, strikes out as the iconic character Barnabas Collins, the eighteenth-century vampire who awakens in the twentieth century though he’s not as bad as he was when he feebly stepped into the Willy Wonka character in 2005.

Yikes.

The only saving grace is the creative and magical visual effects and set design which provides enough imagination and macabre fascination to at least partly save this otherwise messy experience.

The plot gives a brief explanation of the history.

In eighteenth-century Maine, Barnabas Collins (Depp) presides over the town of Collinsport. A rich and powerful playboy, Barnabas breaks the heart of a witch named Angelique (Eva Green) who deviously makes him pay.

Angelique turns Barnabas into a vampire and buries him alive.

Two centuries later, Barnabas escapes from his tomb when builders are erecting a Mcdonald’s and finds the current 1970s Collinsport a very different place. His once-grand estate has fallen into ruin, and the dysfunctional remnants of his family have fared no better.

His resurrection creates complications and drama for the entire family.

Burton knocks it out of the park with the visuals.

The gothic mansion, in particular, is right up his alley and he embraces the possibilities with gusto. Every creak or wind sound heard within the mansion co-aligns with the dark and dreary purples and brown colors.

Frequent candles mark the proper mood and investigating the vast number of rooms was something to look forward to.

Since the rest of the film sucked I had nothing better to do than fully embrace and focus on the art and set designs.

Heavyweights like Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, and Depp do their best but oddly overact in nearly every scene. Their direction must have been skewed toward comedy instead of adding any meat or emotional relevance to the characters.

The original series created something strangely dramatic and compelling on a shoestring budget. There was a delicious haunting and grabbing nature that made you anticipate the next episode and who might fall victim to the vampire.

The film veers into a vastly different territory.

Burton and Depp’s Barnabas struts around emitting one-liners for intended giggles. The other characters appear to be dressed for Halloween and are dumb and morose.

The feeling I got was that of a retread to a situation comedy like The Addams Family rather than a horror soap to be taken seriously.

The sexual references and the occasional bloody vampire effects are okay but seem peppered in to justify the dark comedy.

Even an uninspired cameo by shock rocker Alice Cooper is perceived as a weak attempt to add something frightening or dangerous.

Unsurprisingly, Dark Shadows (2012) performed poorly at the box office and was derided by true fans of the series and almost every other film critic.

This caused Barnabas and his family to slink back into their coffins possibly for good.

What a shame.

2021 Films, Drama

Belfast-2021

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Belfast-2021

Director Kenneth Branagh

Starring Jamie Dornan, Caitríona Balfe, Jude Hill

Scott’s Review #1,202

Reviewed November 28, 2021

Grade: A-

Belfast (2021) is a film I wanted to see based solely on the year-end awards buzz it is receiving as of this writing. The trailer would lead you to believe that the film is a sentimental and heartwarming journey through the lives of a group of people living in Belfast, Ireland.

This is nothing but strategic marketing.

The film is significantly better than the trailer suggests, offering a dark and raw exploration of a family torn between their current lives in Belfast and the opportunity to leave the troubled city for new prospects in England.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom, and in fact, Belfast offers enough humor, entertainment, and drama to please a broad audience. There also exists a lesson in kindness, decency, and respect that is so needed in the world today.

Belfast is a movie rich in real-life experiences from director Kenneth Branagh’s own life, which successfully lends realism and honesty to the picture.

The film is told through the eyes of a nine-year-old boy named Buddy, wonderfully played by Jude Hill. He struggles to forge a path from childhood to manhood in a world that has been turned upside down.

It is 1969, and battles over religion have overtaken his neighborhood with radical Protestants wanting the Catholics out.

Buddy experiences the joys and sorrows of young love, loss, joy, laughter, music, and the magic of the cinema.

His family surrounds him- Ma (Caitríona Balfe), Pa (Jamie Dornan), Granny (Judi Dench), Pop (Ciarán Hinds), and a brother. They each fill Buddy’s life with kindness and fun.

The film starts slowly for me, despite an immediate, wonderfully compelling slow-motion sequence in which Buddy is surrounded by violence and terror as he walks home from school on a pleasant afternoon.

As I ponder Belfast, I realize that much of the film is slow, yet rich in texture and goodness. Every so often, an emotional scene erupts, but then a great deal of it is Buddy’s everyday experiences.

The black and white cinematography is crucial in portraying the bleakness of Belfast and how its residents strive to add some life. Most are born and die where they live.

Branagh adds an occasional glimpse of color, which is effective to show a burst of delight in the characters’ lives. This is most powerful when the family goes to the cinema and enjoys an afternoon watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

The lighting and extreme close-ups of some characters’ faces reveal their emotions, while the landscape shots are appropriately smoky and bright. This fits the mood perfectly.

The film features music by Belfast native Van Morrison, including eight classic songs and a new song Morrison wrote for the film.

The acting is superb by all the principal cast, and Dornan and Balfe provide the emotional core. Both actors are beautiful, and their performance of ‘Everlasting Love’ is simply delightful.

Providing proper role models for their children, Dornan’s Pa nearly had me in tears when he told Buddy that a person’s religious beliefs are unimportant, but their kindness is what truly matters.

He is a progressive man trapped in a traditional world.

In the end, the family chooses to reach for the stars, and the moment is fulfilling for both the characters and the viewers.

Belfast (2021) did not completely win me over until it ended, when I realized that I had witnessed a superior film. Branagh fuses heart and decency into a tale of a family’s struggles and trials.

It’s a message film that doesn’t scream or preach that message, but instead gives a quiet lesson in humanity.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Picture, Best Director-Kenneth Branagh, Best Supporting Actor-Ciarán Hinds, Best Supporting Actress-Judi Dench, Best Original Screenplay (won), Best Original Score-“Down to Joy”, Best Sound

2019 Films, Crime Thriller, Thriller

The Good Liar-2019

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The Good Liar-2019

Director Bill Condon

Starring Ian McKellen, Helen Mirren

Scott’s Review #1,201

Reviewed November 26, 2021

Grade: B+

The Good Liar (2019) is a well-acted film, but by the numbers, the thriller is made as well as it can be, thanks to superior acting. Casting British heavyweights Ian McKellen and Helen Mirren automatically provides enough star power and credibility to save any lame plot.

This is the first time the actors have appeared in a film together, though they have appeared on stage together.

The film moves briskly, and there is never a moment of boredom. While the main storyline at first is intriguing, the inevitable twist at the end is satisfying. Suspension of disbelief is required, and a portion of the backstory is unnecessary.

Nothing is as it seems.

Roy Courtnay (McKellen) is a dashing career con man. He is suave and used to getting what he wants out of people, to their advantage and disadvantage. He cagily dips into the online dating pool and stumbles upon an older woman named Betty McLeish (Mirren) ripe for the picking.

She is rich, divorced, and lonely.

What could go wrong?

As Betty opens her life and home to him, Roy is surprised to find himself caring about her, turning what should be a cut-and-dry swindle into the most treacherous tightrope walk of his life.

Betty’s grandson, Steven (Russell Tovey), constantly annoys Roy when he questions Roy’s intentions and urges his grandmother to be wary of the man.

As the plot began, I kept thinking that there was no way Betty could be so gullible, lonely, or not. This kept me engaged until the big reveal that filled the final thirty minutes or so. If The Good Liar did not contain something more than the banal plot, it would have been a real dud.

To continue with the storyline element, Betty’s ultimate motivations, while clever, are hard to believe. Not to ruin any plot points, but the whole Nazi component from the 1940s feels superfluous and easy. The revenge motives feel extremely plot-driven and are meant as a thrown-in explanation.

From a timeline perspective, it also doesn’t make much sense. If events take place during present times, it would put Roy and Betty in their 90s! The characters are assumed to be in their mid-70s.

Despite Roy being the villain, I fell in love with him. His shenanigans appealed to me despite my better judgment. His trickery when he feigns a knee injury to manipulate Betty while dashing into a corporate meeting minutes later was enamoring instead of mortifying.

The chemistry between McKellen and Mirren is tremendous. Both actors know how to carry a film and are confident in their abilities. This comes across onscreen, and the romantic element works.

The Good Liar also gets respect from me for featuring actors in their golden years in leading roles.

Bill Condon has directed various films, including Chicago (2002) and Dreamgirls (2006). The Good Liar is hardly on this level or one of his finest, but the director adds enough seasoning to assure a compelling experience.

The locales of London and later Berlin, Germany, are robust and a treat for any viewer who is partial to international filming—I am! Plenty of busy London streets and German architecture appear during the film.

McKellen and Mirren’s slickness and excellent acting save The Good Liar (2019) from the drivel it might have been with lesser actors and inferior direction. Instead, it’s a clever film that toys with its viewers, keeping them engaged until the end.

1972 Films, British, British Horror, Horror, Horror Anthologies

Tales from the Crypt-1972

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Tales from the Crypt-1972

Director Freddie Francis

Starring Joan Collins, Ian Hendry, Robin Phillips

Scott’s Review #1,200

Reviewed November 25, 2021

Grade: A-

Tales from the Crypt (1972) is a delicious British anthology based on stories from the EC Comics series. Each of the five chapters is eerie storytelling that offers horror fans glimpses into the minds of depraved, devilish characters with sinister motives.

The sheer joy is witnessing their comeuppance.

This film is the predecessor to Vault of Horror (1973) and can be watched as a companion piece.

Below is a summary, review, and rating of each vignette.

Intro

Five strangers are suddenly compelled to join a tourist group to visit the old catacombs.

Separated from the main group, the strangers find themselves in a room with the mysterious Crypt Keeper (Ralph Richardson), who details how each of them may die.

…And All Through The House- A

Joanne Clayton (Joan Collins) brutally kills her husband Richard (Martin Boddey) on Christmas Eve to get her hands on their insurance money.

She prepares to hide his body but hears a radio announcement of a homicidal maniac (Oliver MacGreevy) on the loose.

She sees the killer (who is dressed in a Santa Claus costume) outside her house, but cannot call the police without exposing her crime.

Her daughter is upstairs in her bedroom, unaware.

This is my favorite chapter, and it’s nonstop action. Collins is terrific as the greedy Englishwoman put in peril. The audience will cheer for her to get her just desserts, especially after she callously disregards a lovely Christmas gift her husband bought for her.

Reflection of Death- B+

Carl Maitland (Ian Hendry) abandons his family to be with his secretary, Susan Blake (Angela Grant). After they drive off together, they are involved in a car accident. He wakes up, having been thrown clear of the burned car. He tries to hitchhike home, but everyone he meets screams with horror when they see him.

This vignette is slightly confusing in terms of the events’ timeline, but compelling as we wait to see what Carl’s face looks like and what has happened to Susan and his wife.

Poetic Justice- A

James Elliott (Robin Phillips) lives with his father Edward (David Markham) across from the home of elderly dustman Arthur Edward Grimsdyke (Peter Cushing), who owns several dogs and entertains children in his house.

James hates Arthur’s ramshackle lawn and embarks on a scheme to rid the neighborhood of the older man.

I love seeing Cushing play against type as a kindly grandfatherly character, and this chapter is the ultimate revenge fantasy, and quite satisfying to see what happens to James.

It’s also a perfect watch for Valentine’s Day, since the holiday is in play.

Wish You Were Here- A-

Businessman Ralph Jason (Richard Greene) is on the verge of financial collapse. His wife Enid (Barbara Murray) notices the inscription on a Chinese statue the couple owns.

They are granted three wishes. Enid decides to wish for a fortune and, surprisingly, the wish comes true, but with dire results.

This one wonderfully cascades a chain of events that leaves the characters in peril. The theme is once again about greed, specifically surrounding insurance money. The fast-paced nature is appealing, and the ancient Chinese wishes leave one character in eternal suffering.

Blind Alleys- A-

Major William Rogers (Nigel Patrick) becomes the new director of a home for blind people and exploits his position to live in luxury with his dog, Shane. At the same time, his drastic cuts to food and heating worsen the residents’ living conditions.

Led by George Carter (Patrick Magee), the residents revolt after a fellow resident dies of hypothermia. Rogers and Shane are locked in the basement, where Rogers must navigate through a maze of razor blades and a now ravenous wild dog who will hungrily eat his owner.

Though far-fetched, Blind Alleys is delicious fun and contains my most hated character. This is all the more satisfying as he ‘gets it’ in the end!

Finale

After completing the final tale, the Crypt Keeper reveals that he was not warning them of what would happen, but telling them what has already happened: they have all “died without repentance.

The conclusion does nothing more than put a satisfying cap on the viewer as each character once again pays for their shenanigans.

1990 Films, Drama, Fantasy, Romantic Drama, Science Fiction

Edward Scissorhands-1990

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Edward Scissorhands-1990

Director Tim Burton

Starring Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder

Scott’s Review #1,198

Reviewed November 20, 2021

Grade: B+

Edward Scissorhands (1990) is a Tim Burton creation, made possible only after the smash success of his 1989 film, Batman.

A creative and romantic fantasy, it is an unconventional project made as charming and whimsical as its stars were at that time.

The film is part sad, part magical, with enough science fiction and romance sprinkled in to make it work across genres.

The result was another box office hit for Burton, teen idol status for its lead stars, and an obvious Academy Award nomination for the deserving Makeup department.

As unconventional and original as it appears on the surface, the film suffers slightly from being a bit mainstream.

There is a safe, romantic comedy feel that takes the film away from a much darker tone it could (and should) have had.

Still, Edward Scissorhands is entertaining and fascinating.

An eccentric scientist, deliciously played by Vincent Price, builds an animated human being, the gentle and soft-spoken Edward (Johnny Depp).

He dies before he can finish assembling Edward, leaving the poor young man with a freakish appearance accentuated by the scissor blades he has instead of his hands.

Friendly suburban saleswoman Peg (Dianne Wiest) discovers Edward and takes him home, where he falls for Peg’s teen daughter Kim (Winona Ryder).

However, Edward’s hands make him an outcast despite his kindness and artistic talent.

This is a challenge for all of them.

By 1990, Johnny Depp was becoming a huge Hollywood star, and so was Winona Ryder. As the ‘it’ actors, this helps Edward Scissorhands tremendously by not only adding ticket sales but also a fascination with them as a couple.

The chemistry is palpable, and so is the classic good-girl-helping-boy reform. Depp’s Edward is a sympathetic hero and is instantly mysterious and likable.

Wiest, then in her prime, is a hoot as the comical Avon lady who introduces Edward to the joys and pains of suburban Americana. Particularly enjoyable are the perfectly manicured landscapes in Peg’s neighborhood, where she goes door to door selling her products.

As one can easily predict, the beautiful plants and bushes suffer at the hands of Edwards.

The Gothic mansion where Peg discovers Edward is a deliciously creative set piece that has the classic Burton stamp.

The director is so defined by his artistic sets and design that half the fun of the film is discovering and noticing these fabulous creations.

The mainstream part comes with the story, and a smattering of 1982’s E.T. sentimentality is included to win over middle-American audiences. This isn’t bad, but it does lighten the heavy drama and sinister approach that Burton could have honed in on.

Much of the credit must go to Depp because on paper the premise could easily be dismissed as silly, trivial, or outlandish. The actor brings pathos to the role and makes the audience believe in and fall in love with the character.

He makes Edward even more relatable by adding some obvious clichés: Kim’s jealous boyfriend, Jim, played by Anthony Michael Hall, and the eccentric religious fanatic who believes Edward is evil incarnate, played by O-Lan Jones.

Adding these villains and most of the rest of the neighborhood as either clueless or misunderstanding townsfolk further reduces most of the supporting cast to standard stock characters.

Burton, along with Depp, Ryder, and Wiest, gives Edward Scissorhands (1990) heart.

It’s a beautiful fairy tale that feels magical and adventurous, save for some mediocre storytelling. It’s an above-average film that won over audiences at the time of its release.

Oscar Nominations: Best Makeup

2021 Films, Comedy, Disney

Cruella-2021

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Cruella-2021

Director Craig Gillespie

Starring Emma Stone, Emma Thompson

Scott’s Review #1,197

Reviewed November 19, 2021

Grade: A-

One of the first red carpet premieres to emerge amid the deadly Covid-19 pandemic, Cruella (2021) is a wickedly funny delight and celebrates the return of cinema to the theaters.

What a fabulous choice.

The makeup, hairstyling, costumes, musical score, and the title character herself make this film loud, proud, and lots of fun.

It’s not too dark for the entire family to enjoy, but far from fluff, either. Suspension of disbelief is mandatory since it’s pure fantasy and not to be dissected for its numerous plot holes and ridiculous antics.

Dogs, people, and costumes fly around in frantic motion to fulfill their every motivation.

The film is way better than anticipated, which is always a treat. It’s not that I wasn’t expecting quality, but I didn’t expect to be entertained and enthralled quite as much as I was.

The experience carried me away.

The live-action force sheds light on the backstory of Cruella de Vil, made famous, of course, as the dastardly villain in the animated Disney feature 101 Dalmatians from 1961.

Her life and intentions are explored in a story similar to Oliver Twist, with a 1970s style. Orphaned young, she must survive the mean streets of London during the punk rock era. She becomes an expert pickpocket and ingenious thief while doubling as the humble fashion upstart Estella.

Estella befriends a pair of young thieves who adore her appetite for mischief, and together they construct a cozy life for themselves and their furry friends. While working as a cleaning lady, Estella is discovered by the ruthless and unkind Baroness von Hellman (Emma Thompson), a fashion legend.

Their complex relationship sets in motion revelations that harken back to Estella’s deceased mother, causing her to embrace her wicked side and become the fashionable, revenge-bent Cruella.

Emma Stone basks in the spotlight as Cruella with ravaging fury and a twinkle in her eye. An incredible actress who has played roles in Birdman (2014), La La Land (2016), and The Favourite (2018), Stone goes full-throttle in her dual role, making them as opposite as possible.

She’s terrific and carries the bombastic film with seeming ease.

Thompson is just as good as the Baroness, a woman with a heart of stone and most similar to Miranda in The Devil Wears Prada (2006). With a snap of her fingers or a glance, she expects to be served and pleased, happy to take credit for other people’s work. It’s a toss-up which character I hate more.

Stone and Thompson are delicious together and chew up the scenery, especially when they spar and attack each other. These scenes are wickedly delightful, and a key to their past may link them forever.

The Baroness is difficult to like, as she attempts to kill Estella/Cruella twice.

The actresses make magic together.

Besides the clear parallels to Oliver Twist, Cruella also mirrors Spider-Man with the alter-ego premise. I saw her as a superhero. Traditionally, Cruella is portrayed as evil and fiendish, but here she is the rooting favorite. This may turn some off, but I loved this facet and the complexity of the character.

To go deeper, the Baroness is more like the animated Disney character Cruella than Cruella is!

I joyously anticipated which 1970s rock song would come next, as nearly every sequence incorporated this genre of music. Bands like Blondie, Queen, and Black Sabbath appear, along with fascinating, modern takes on some of the best hits of the period. This adds a wealth of depth and relevance.

What about the costumes? Oh, how gorgeous they are! Numerous dresses, gowns, and other accessories are featured. The sheer number of outfits and designs in the film is astounding.

My favorite appears as Cruella unfolds a flowing dress from a limousine that stretches for miles and miles, much like a domino effect. It’s flashy and beautiful.

Rumors abound that Stone has signed on for a sequel to Cruella (2021). As long as a more thought-out story continues to be developed, the character can remain as complex as she is entertaining. The style, locale, and time make the film a fantastical retelling of a fantasy.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Costume Design (won), Best Makeup and Hairstyling