Song Sung Blue

 

   Based on the documentary of the same name, director/writer Craig Brewer takes what could have easily been a sappy, light story of a Neil Diamond cover band and turns it into a heartfelt, emotional drama that cuts deep with joy, sorrow, humor and lots of Neil Diamond covers.

    Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson have wonderful chemistry as "Lightning & Thunder"", a Neil Diamond Experience. Ms. Hudson, in particular, as Clair Sardina aka "Thunder", is outstanding as the housewife and part time performer with big dreams. Of course, that's not to take anything away from Mr. Jackman who pours his heart and soul into the persona of Mike Sardina aka "Lightning". He does a great job with the Neil Diamond songs as well as the drama surrounding the story.

     The supporting cast includes Michael Imperioli in a surprising role, Fisher Stevens as Mike's dentist/manager, Ella Anderson as Claire's daughter, Rachel, King Princess as Angelina, Mike's daughter, Hudson Hensley as Dana, Claire's son, Mustafa Shakir, and Jim Belushi.

    What could have easily been a Lifetime drama, in Mr. Brewer's hands brings real emotional depth to this story. If you're a Neil Diamond fan and/or a fan of the two leads, you will have a better than expected time watching this film.  As the story reminds us, there is a lot more to Neil Diamond than "Sweet Caroline" and that goes for the film as well.

                            MY TOP TEN FILMS FOR 2025

 

One Battle After Another- ambition that lives up to its goals. A terrific ensemble cast. A great comedy/drama that doesn't waste a frame. Thoughtful and entertaining.

Hamnet- A masterpiece of filmmaking with an incredible performance by Jesse Buckley.

Train Dreams- beautifully shot and acted, a quiet, tender, poetic film that stands out above Hollywood cliches.

Marty Supreme- Magnificent performance by Timothee Chalamet carries the entertaining story.

Eden- terrific acting and directing. A fascinating different kind of survival tale from director Ron Howard, with a surprisingly excellent performance by Sydney Sweeney.

No Other Choice- very clever Korean black comedy with an excellent cast led by Lee Byung hun and Son Ye-jin.

It Was Just an Accident- guerrilla filmmaking at it's best. Examining Iranian politics, its a serious film with comedic moments that stays with you long after it ends.

Frankenstein- Gorgeous and breathtaking retelling of the iconic story with terrific cast.

The Secret Agent- haunting story of the political turmoil in Brazil in the 1970's. Wagner Moura is a magnetic presence. 

Weapons- Surprising horror film that kept you guessing with a great performance by Amy Madigan

HONORABLE MENTION-

Mickey 17- funny and biting satire of society disguised as a science fiction adventure.

Sinners- excellent performance by Michael B. Jordan and loved the first half of the film. Wasn't crazy though by the mid-genre switch.

Eddington- affected by the pandemic, an excellent microcosm of today's society 

Good Boy- fantastic direction of a dog just being a dog but turning it into a horror film. Indy was indeed a "good boy".

Companion- excellent twist and fine acting

Sentimental Value- beautiful portrait of a fractured family finding their way back.

BOTTOM TEN-

HIM- Beyond any words. Just a horrible film.

Presence- disappointing and boring

Wolf Man- poor update with a wasted Julia Garner

The Roses- terrible remake that really wasted two fine actors

Nobody 2- No reason to make a sequel

The Amateur- Rami Malik is overrated and so is this film. 

Flight Risk- I guess Michele Dockery needed a paycheck.

Captain America: New World Order- Swing and a miss by Marvel.

Ella MacKay- James L. Brooks came out of retirement for this mess?

Die My Love- despite great acting from Jennifer Lawrence an abrasive and difficult film to watch.

No Other Choice

 

         The latest film from famed director Park Chan-wook (who also wrote co-wrote the screenplay), this is a very black comedy, based on the novel, "The Ax" by Donald Westlake. "The Ax" had previously been made into a 2005 film version by Costa-Gravas. This Korean version is outstanding.

          Lee Byung-hun (of Squid Game fame) stars as Yoo Man-su, a  manager at a paper factory who is fired and goes to extreme lengths to get another job and provide for his family.  He is absolutely terrific in the role. The film co-stars Son Ye-jin as Lee Mi-ri, his wife, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, Cha Seung-won, and Yoo Yeon-seok. They are all well know Korean actors and are all well cast here.

          The cinematography by Kim Woo-Hyung is terrific and there are quite a few clever visuals. 

          Mr. Chan-wook finds much dark humor in Yoo-Man-su's desperation but Mr. Byung-hun never plays things for laughs. He takes his situation very seriously and yet we find ourselves laughing anyway. Such is the skill in the writing and direction.

           The film is in Korean with English sub-titles but don't let that deter you. It is extremely well made and very entertaining.

            

Marty Supreme

 

      Timothee Chalamet is at his charismatic best as Marty Mauser, the Marty in the title. He takes his acting to another level defining a character you will both love and hate. Marty is the over confident, arrogant, scheming, selfish, hero that you root for but want to slap across the face at the same time. His fast talking schemer is reminiscent of Adam Sandler's character in "Uncut Gems", another unlikeable "hero" which makes sense since both films were written by (along with Ronald Bronstein) and directed by Josh Safdie (with his brother Bennie on "Gems"). 

      Mr. Chalamet is so excellent in this role, you can forgive any minor flaws in the film itself. He is absolutely magnetic and carries this improbable (if it wasn't based on an actual person) story squarely on his shoulders. His character, Marty Mauser has lofty goals as a world class table tennis (otherwise known as Ping Pong) player and will stop at nothing to attain them. Marty is loosely based on Marty Reisman, a flamboyant New York table tennis star of the 1950's.

       The film co-stars Gwyneth Paltrow as fading actress, married to a millionaire, played by Kevin O'Leary, Odessa A'zion as Rachel, a married neighbor that gets involved with Marty, Tyler Okonma as Wally, Marty's best friend, Abel Ferrara as Ezra, a gangster, Fran Drescher as Marty's mom, Emory Cohen as Rachel's husband, Larry "Ratso" Sloman as Marty's Uncle, and Koto Kawaguchi as Endo, the Japanese table tennis champion. Sandra Bernhard and Isaac Mizrahi also have small parts.

        The film follows Marty through a series of misadventures with the goal of reaching Japan for the World Table Tennis championship. Mr. Safie faithfully recreates New York in the 1950's and populates his film with fascinating characters. The table tennis sequences are simply remarkable and while Mr. Chalamet must have developed a skill for the game, some of moves must have been helped by careful CGI or a stunt double player. While fun to watch, Mr. Safdie does, as writer and director, overserve the story with subplots that could have been shorter and stretch the film thin in the middle.

         That said, this is still supreme entertainment, served up by a magnificent performance by Mr. Chalamet. Catch it in a theater where it deserves to be seen on a big screen.

         

Is This Thing On?

 

       The third feature from director Bradley Cooper is a less bigger than life and ambitious than his last two film. This drama (with comedic overtones) examines a couple suddenly ending their twenty year marriage and the effect it has on them and their friends. What sets it apart from other films of it's ilk, is the coping mechanism for Alex, the husband, as he accidently falls into stand up comedy and finds his material from the current state of his life.

        The film stars Will Arnett as Alex (who also was one of the writers along with Mr. Cooper and Mark Chappell), Laura Dern as his wife, Tess, Bradley Cooper as "Balls", Alex's best friend and Andra Day as Christine, who is married to "Balls". Co-starring are Amy Sedaris , and Christine Ebersole and Ciaran Hinds as Alex's parents. Blake Kane and Calvin Knegten play the couple's two boys. Sean Hayes and his real life husband, Scott Icenogle have a small part as a couple who are friends of Tess and Alex. They barely contribute anything to the film and are basically background actors. Peyton Manning has a small cameo as well.

         The film focus is on Alex and Mr. Arnett is terrific in the role. After a terrifying first time on stage, he finds his rhythm and discovers a joy in performing, he never thought possible. While Ms. Dern has the smaller role, she is always excellent and does a solid job as Christine. The two boys are well written roles and both young actors play wise beyond their years.

           Unless you are a big fan of Mr. Arnett, the film is rather pedestrian and is probably worth waiting for a streaming service at home in the near future.

Wake Up Dead Man

 

 

     Writer/director Rian Johnson brings us the third installment in the "Knives Out series'.  Following his standard structure, the film has an all-star cast, revolves around a murder, and takes place in basically one location (this time a church).

      Star Daniel Craig returns as the Benoit Blanc, the private detective brought in to solve a seemingly impossible murder at a church in a small New York town. He has plenty of suspects including Josh O'Conner as Father Jud, Josh Brolin as Msgr. Jefferson Wicks, Glenn Close as Mary, a devout woman who works for Msgr. Wicks, Jeremy Renner as Dr. Sharp, a broken hearted alcoholic doctor, Kerry Washington as Vera, an intense lawyer, Andrew Scott as Lee Ross, a famous writer fallen on hard times, Mila Kunis as Geraldine Scott, the local police chief, Cailee Spaeny as Simone, a handicapped cello player, Thomas Hayden Church as Samson, the groundskeeper, and Daryl McCormack, Vera's half brother, Cy. Jeffrey Wright also has a small part as Bishop Langstrom, Jud's superior.

     No spoilers here but one of the above is not a suspect but rather the murder victim.

     As with many films stuffed full of stars, not every character is fully developed but Mr. Johnson does his best to give everyone a motive and keep the audience guessing. Upon the onset, the murder itself looks impossible but Detective Blanc retraces all the clues and eventually leads us to the guilty party.

     It's a clever and fun film with a bit of a religious overtone and darker than the previous films but still has it's lighter moments. Both Josh Brolin and Glen Close chew the scenery and Mr. O'Conner is perfect as the young priest who is the prime suspect. Daniel Craig, always seems to be enjoying himself playing Benoit Blanc and I'm sure we haven't seen the last of him.

The Secret Agent

 

        A compelling drama from Brazil, the film is written and directed by Kleber Mendonca Filho and stars Wagner Moura. It is a political thriller that takes place in 1977 during Brazil's military dictatorship. The story follow's Mr. Moura's character, Armando, as he tries to flee from political persecution and personal revenge, while reuniting with his young son. He hides out in the city of Recife, under an assumed name, taking up residence in a building full of other political refugees. 

        Mr. Filho's team and his direction faithfully recreate Recife in the '70's, Filming on location, the visuals are remarkable and add an incredibly realistic touch. It's almost like watching a documentary. There is a strange interlude involving a human leg taking on a life of it's own (that I'm still scratching my head about) and many references to the film "Jaws" which debuted in 1977 and is playing in Recife during the course of the film. I can only imagine the shark is a metaphor for the evil taking the lives of so many innocents.

        The story takes it's time to develop and can be confusing at times but it does eventually all come together by the end. Thankfully, the interesting characters, arresting visuals, and Mr. Moura's performance will hold your attention throughout. The film is in Portuguese with English sub-titles.

           

Ella McKay

 

         Legendary comic creator, James L. Brooks, who hasn't made a film in fifteen years returns as writer and director of this new comedy. Unfortunately its really not that funny. Yes, it has it's moments (which at times seem forced) but overall it's a bit of a mess.

         The film stars Emma Mackey as Ella, the lieutenant Governor of an unnamed state, who could be a direct descendant of Mary Richards (from The Mary Tyler Moore Show). Emma's energetic and assertive style does not sit well with many of her colleagues. She is married to her high school boyfriend, Ryan, played by Jack Lowden (so good in "Slow Horses" but miscast here).

          Also co-starring is Jamie Lee Curtis as Emma's Aunt Helen, Kumail Nanjiani as Trooper Nash (also miscast and wasted), Ayo Edebiri, in a two- scene cameo, Rebecca Hall as Emma's mom and Woody Harrelson as her dad (Ms. Hall wasted and Mr. Harrelson miscast), Spike Fearn as Emma's brother Casey (one of the better actors here), Julie Kavner as Emma's assistant Estelle, and Albert Brooks as Governor Bill Moore. Ms. Kavner and Mr. Brooks steal every scene they are in and are both national treasures.

          There are flashbacks that "de-age" the leads to explain much of the story in the present. The story itself, never feels real except for the relationship between Emma and her Aunt Helen. The film is nothing more that an elevated "Lifetime" movie and might be worth your time once it starts streaming (which will probably be sooner than later).

       

Jay Kelly

 

         Directed and co-written (with Emily Mortimer) by Noah Baumbach, this drama (with comedic moments) is an interesting character study and a bit of a departure from Mr. Baumbach's previous films.

         George Clooney stars as Jay Kelly, an aging movie star who takes the opportunity while traveling in France and Italy to reflect on his life, relationships and his legacy. The film co-stars Adam Sandler as his long time manager, Ron as well as Laura Dern, Emily Mortimer, Billy Crudup, Riley Keough, Grace Edwards, Stacy Keach, Jim Broadbent, Patrick Wilson, Eve Hewson, Greta Gerwig, Charlie Rowe, and Alba Rohrwacher. It's a fine cast but the absolute standout is Adam Sandler. He is simply terrific in this dramatic role and easily steals the film.

          At times, it's hard to separate Mr. Clooney, the actor from the role of Jay Kelly. It's art imitating life imitating art. It's difficult to see Mr. Clooney as anyone other than himself  but as the film progresses, his character does emerge fully formed. His acting here is very nuanced. There is a quote by Sylvia Plath at the start of the film that sums up its point perfectly.

           Mr. Baumbach employs a clever framing method whenever Jay has a strong memory. He literally steps into the memory as an onlooker, from wherever he happens to be at the moment, whether it be a moving train or a bathroom. We watch along with him, during crucial moments in his life, much of it turning to regret  about his daughters whom he has ignored for most of his adult life while pursuing his art.

             The European visuals of France and Italy make a lovely canvas as background to the story. There is an air of sadness over the film but do we really care about a wealthy, famous, movie star having regrets about his life? Personally, I cared more about Ron, his long suffering manager, balancing his life choices than Mr. Kelly. He's really the heart of the story.

              The film is in limited theaters and streaming on Netflix

           

Train Dreams

 

         This new film is nothing short of a beautiful, poetic, meditation of a life, with all it's beauty and heartbreak. Directed and co-written (with Greg Kwedar) by Clint Bentley, the film follows the story of Robert Grainier and his life in the Pacific Northwest as a lumberjack and railroad worker.

         Joel Edgerton stars as  Robert Grainier and his powerful performance is easily one of his best. He is poetry in motion throughout all the emotional highs and lows that impact his life. The story is narrated in voice-over by Will Patton and while films with narrators can be intrusive, Mr. Patton is a welcome driver to tell Robert's story.

         The film also features Felicity Jones, Kerry Condon, William H. Macy, John Diehl, and Nathaniel Arcand. Each character is beautifully written and all have a remarkable impact on Robert's life.

         Smart enough to avoid Hollywood cliches, the screenplay is surprising in its simplicity and honesty. It is a story of haunting dreams and delicate memories as the years pass and Robert's life reaches it's inevitable conclusion. There are no big plot turns (with one exception)  but rather small delicate and soulful moments that pass in a calm, deliberate pace. 

         The cinematography is stunning and while it is currently streaming, if you can see it in a limited theatrical run, you can really appreciate its visual beauty.

         Already getting much critical praise, the film will definitely receive multiple nominations come award season. It's a story that will stay with you long after it ends.