Whalefall

 

             A survival thriller unlike anything you've ever seen. 

             The film was directed and co-written (with the Daniel Kraus, author of the novel) by Brian Duffield. Along with his cinematographer, Aaron Morton, Mr. Duffield takes us directly inside the claustrophobic, multiple stomachs of a giant sperm whale. The set design is remarkable.

              Austin Abrams (coming off a star turn in "Resident Evil") stars as Jay Gardiner. Josh Brolin co-stars (in flashbacks) as Jay's dad, Mitt, an accomplished diver, who, in the very first scene, has committed suicide by drowning. The film also features Elisabeth Shue as Jay's mom, John Ortiz as a family friend, and Jane Levy and Emily Rudd as Jay's sisters.

              When Jay decides to search for his father's remains, he dives alone and in a terrifying sequence is accidently swallowed (along with a squid) by a sperm whale. For the rest of the film, he must figure out a way to survive, juxtaposed with intermittent flashbacks of his difficult relationship with his father. 

               It takes a degree of suspending belief and going with the outlandish concept but once you do, you'll be rewarded with quite a ride.

             

                

Other Mommy

 

        I suppose an actor needs to pay the bills and maybe challenge themselves in a new genre but for the wonderful Jessica Chastain, this was a big miss.

        Reliably great in almost all of her films, even Ms. Chastain can't rise above the material here.  She does try her best tackling both roles as Mommy and "Other Mommy". The film starts out with great promise (unfortunately you see the best part in the trailer) but soon falls apart in a messy story that doesn't make sense (even for a horror film). The jump scares are predictable. The confrontational scenes with "other mommy" are noisy and confusing and the ending is a weak letdown.

         The film co-stars Jay Duplass as "Daddo", Karen Allen as Grandma, Dichen Lachman as Lois, Arian Moayed as Frank, and as "Bella" the child threatened by "Other Mommy", Arabella Olivia Clark. This is Ms. Clark's film debut and the horror sequences really run her through a gauntlet. Hopefully, she clearly understood her role and that it was all make believe, otherwise she will be traumatized for years. 

          Rather than "Other Mommy", see another film.

Primetime

 

            Based on real events, this is a dramatization of  TV journalist Chris Hansen's "To Catch a Predator". Robert Pattinson plays Hansen and he is just terrific, capturing both Hansen's vocal and physical mannerisms.

             The film co-stars Merritt Weaver as Andie Bender, Hansen's producer. Ms. Bender is a fictional character comprised of various producers from the show. Ms. Weaver is excellent as always. Also co-starring is Skyler Gisondo, as Dan Plum, in his best screen performance to date. Matthew Maher, Anna Faris, Bokeem Woodbine, and Alex Winter also co-star.

              Director Lance Oppenheim shoots the film at times coming across as a mock documentary, with dark lighting and minimal music (added only in crucial scenes). It is fascinating to watch (especially having never seen the TV show) and considering the subject matter, comes off deliberately just a bit lurid and sleazy. 

               The film really turns on Mr. Pattinson's performance and he does not disappoint. He is in almost every scene and just electric to watch, fully immersed in the character. This is a peek behind the curtain of reality TV, exposed in it's truth and total weirdness.  

               

The Social Reckoning

 

         Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, the film could be considered this generation's "All The President's Men".  It dramatizes the story of "The Facebook Files", the expose of Facebook by the Wall Street Journal in 2021.

         The film stars Mikey Madison as Frances Haugen, the Facebook manager who becomes a whistleblower, exposing negative algorithms in the company's system. Reluctantly at first, she partners with Jeremy Allen White, as Jeff Horowitz, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and eventually leaks thousands of files. The stars have good chemistry and handle Mr. Sorkin's rapid fire dialog with ease.

          Co-starring are Jeremy Strong as Mark Zuckerberg ( evil personified), Bill Burr as Charlie Garrigan, Wunmi Mosaku as Raya, Billy Magnussen as Teddy Marks, Betty Gilpin as Kris, and Gbenga Akinnagbe as Andy.

           Since everything in the film represents information in the public record since 2021, the outcome is not a surprise but it is interesting and somewhat exciting to watch as it all comes together through Mr. Sorkin's terrific screenplay. The film's timeline incorporates the start of the pandemic and through multiple edits, the January 6th attack on the Capitol which implies Facebook's complicity

           While not necessarily an entertaining film, it's an important one and you may find yourself deleting your Facebook account as you leave the theater.

Digger

 

           Well, I might be in the minority on this one but I thought this new film from co-writer/director Alejandro G. Iñárritu was terrific with a very good performance from it's lead, Tom Cruise.

            Using a similar concept from his film "Birdman", Mr. Iñárritu gives us a serious warning about climate change and corporate greed wrapped in a satirical farce that, at times, is very funny. There is a jarring shift in the story that takes a minute to absorb but completely makes sense in the film's structure by the end.  

             Mr. Cruise performance reminds me of the character he played in "Tropic Thunder" but he builds upon it in the persona of Digger and even more as the film goes on. His co-stars include Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Huller, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons, Robert John Burke, Emma D'Arcy, Sophie Wilde, and Pip Torrens. Of all the cast, only Ms. Huller (a wonderful actress) is wasted in a thin role as Digger's sister.

             Credit is due to Mr. Cruise for taking on a challenging role (under quite the makeup) and to Mr. Iñárritu and his fellow writers for tackling a serious subject in such a unique and interesting way. The film's deliberate structure may feel disjointed to some but not only does it work but also leaves us with a chilling ending.

                 

Heart of The Beast

 

        While I usually avoid films with dogs, I made an exception here because...the dog doesn't die. That's not a spoiler. The director has been on social media saying it and even if you missed that, the dog is seen at the very start of the film which then becomes a flashback story.

        Brad Pitt stars as James Belmont, an ex-special forces soldier traveling with his beloved dog Odin (played by four different dogs actually) in the Alaskan wilderness (actually New Zealand). When a medical emergency causes their seaplane to crash, the two must hike over 50 miles through rough and dangerous terrain to reach the closest road.

        Director David Ayer and his cinematographer, Mauro Fiore exploit the natural beauty of the land in breathtaking visuals but never forget that the heart and soul of this film is the bond between James and Odin. Closeups of Odin's expressive face will melt your heart. 

         The film co-stars J.K. Simmons and Anna Lambe in minor roles but the film belongs to Mr. Pitt and Odin.

          Some scenes required a touch of CGI and even some puppetry but everything is blended beautifully and every shot is convincingly realistic. Even the stunt work appears to be Mr. Pitt every time. 

          There are some dangerous and heartbreaking sequences that some may find hard to watch. Ultimately though, you will find yourself lost in the adventure and bond that James and Odin share.

Resident Evil

 

           Co-written ( with Shay Hatten) and directed by Zach Cregger ("Weapons"), this new film is loosely based on the video game franchise. Having never played the game, I'm not sure how close it fits into that "world" but as a stand alone horror film, it's pretty good.

            The film stars Austin Abrams as Bryan, a medical courier delivering an unknown specimen to a hospital in Raccoon City. Driving along a deserted snow and ice covered road, he accidently hits a woman and this sets off a chain of events that Bryan is completely unprepared for.

            Mr. Abrams is excellent in the role of the reluctant hero. As the film progresses he encounters more and more bizarre creatures and his reactions and mutterings to himself are, at times, very funny.

             Co-starring as humans he encounters along the way are Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Paul Walter Hauser. It is Mr. Abrams, however, who carries the film and keeps it exciting.

              It's a fast paced ninety minutes as Mr. Cregger pours on the rising body count with plenty of blood and gore. Personally I'm still on the fence about the ending but that will be for the audience to debate.

The Weight

 

         Period drama set during the depression stars Ethan Hawk and Russell Crowe (although to be fair,  while an important part, Mr. Crowe only appears in the beginning and towards the end).

          Mr. Hawke plays Samuel Murphy, recently incarcerated into a brutal work camp building roads. Mr. Crowe is the warden who offers him early release if he will, along with three other prisoners, transport gold bars through the Oregon forest. Anxious to reunite with his young daughter, he accepts the mission.

            Carrying the gold on foot, the men encounter multiple hazards which increases the already suspenseful mission. Along the way, the pick up a native American woman who has run away from the work camp.

              The film co-stars  Julia Jones, Austin Amelio, Avi Nash, Lucas Lynggaard Tannesen, and Avy Berry.

             There is an an old school feel in the film's direction and cinematography. Even the credits at the end have an vintage look about them.  It's a very well done, exciting and suspenseful story.