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.

           

The Running Man (2025)

 

         Glen Powell has some big shoes to fill in this remake of the 1987 original, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. He succeeds as Ben Richards, handling the physical action and then some, with his good looks and charming smile. Against type, however, he plays a very pissed off and angry hero.

          Director and co-writer (along with Michael Bacall) Edgar Wright adds some new plot twists from the original, introducing a wife and sick child for incentive for Ben to end up a contestant on the lethal game show, "The Running Man". And instead of the cartoon villains chasing Schwarzenegger, in this version, Ben is chased by more human villains (but no less deadly), known as "Hunters"

            Co-starring are Josh Brolin as the creator of the "The Running Man", Colman Domingo as the charismatic host of the gameshow, Jayme Lawson as Ben's wife and in other supporting roles, Lee Pace, Emilia Jones, William H. Macy, and Michael Cera.

          Mr. Wright knows how to amp up the action and once the "game" begins, it's pretty much non-stop as Ben tries to stay alive for 30 days. There are plenty of chase scenes, explosions, gunfire, and the expected violence from a film like this. That said, it's a fun, no-brainer, popcorn movie with Mr. Powell easy to root for.