Maestro

 

   Co-written, directed by and starring Bradley Cooper in the title role, this is a wonderful examination of the life and times of Leonard Bernstein, the fabled composer and conductor.

 

   This film is so obviously a work of love for Mr. Cooper. He embodies Mr. Bernstein's life and soul in every scene. You see and feel his honest joy and passion in the various conducting scenes and particularly in one climatic performance piece.

   The heart and soul of the film, however, belongs to Mr. Bernstein's relationship with Felicia Montealegre, his wife and great love. Cary Mulligan plays Felicia in an emotionally strong and yet heartbreaking performance. Their love for each other was great but their marriage was very complicated.

   Co-stars include Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, Sarah Silverman, Michael Urie, Brian Klugman, Sam Nivola, Miriam Shor, Alexa Swinton, and Josh Hamilton.

   Mr. Cooper has shown growth as a director and handles his material very well. I can't imagine the difficulty of directing yourself, especially when you are in almost every scene. He films in color and black & white as well as plays with the film's aspect ratio but it all comes together beautifully.  He uses Mr. Bernstein's music throughout the film and it is magnificent.

    This is a Netflix production and will debut on the streaming service December 20th. However, if you can, I highly recommend seeing it during it's limited theatrical run. There will be an abundance of Oscar nominations.

  

Napoleon

 

 

   Director Ridley Scott reunites with star Joaquin Phoenix to bring Napoleon Bonaparte to vivid life. Mr. Scott's bombastic direction serves him well in the recreated battle scenes and Mr. Phoenix's chemistry with co-star Vanessa Kirby as Napoleon's great love, Josephine combine for an epic story.

   Screenwriter David Scarpa's script is a Reader's Digest condensed version (remember those?) of Napoleon's adult life squeezed into a two and a half hour film. It faithfully recreates famous battles and the complicated love story of Napoleon and Josephine. He does take liberties with timelines and alters certain events for dramatic effect and while not historically accurate, they serve the film well.

   Mr. Phoenix is excellent in the starring role. He coveys Napoleon's complexities well and adds a bit of his own quirkiness to the part. And Ms. Kirby plays Josephine with just the right balance of vulnerability and strength.

    Co-stars include Tahar Rahim (so good in Netflix's "The Serpent"), Ben Miles, Edouard Phillpponnat, Paul Rhys, and Rupert Everett as the Duke of Wellington. These actors stand out in a large cast but with the film's main focus on Napoléon and Josephine, everyone else is really pushed to the background.

   Mr. Scott's battle scenes are amazing, employing thousands of actual actors to wage war. Visual effects and even animation are seamlessly added in to bring the battles to bloody life. I do take issue with the many horses used in the film without the disclaimer that "no animals were harmed in the making of the film". While the credits do mention two veterinarians on set, it seems hard to believe that horses were not injured in many scenes. 

   The film is an Apple production and will eventually find it's way to Apple+ streaming. Due to it's scope though, I highly recommend seeing it on the largest screen possible. It's spectacular in IMAX.

Next Goal Wins

 

   Co-written and directed by Taika Waititi, this new sports underdog film is based on a 2014 documentary about the American Samoan football (Soccer) team. Mr. Waititi also has a small part as a priest.

    Previously the team had lost to Australia 31-0 and they are considered the embarrassment of the FIFA league. A Dutch-American coach, Thomas Rongan is given the nearly impossible task of turning the team around. Rongan is played by Michael Fassbender and while a very good actor, seems miscast in this comedy/drama.

   We meet the various members of the team, typical stereotyped losers and one transgender player that has lots of potential, all of them confused by their new coach. It's a fish out of water story for Coach Rongan who has to first learn the culture before he can bond with his new team.

   The film co-stars Oscar Knightly as Tavita, Kaimana as Jaiyah Saelua, David Fane as Ace, Rachel House as Ruth, and in small parts, Elisabeth Moss and Will Arnett. Aside from Coach Rongan, there is little character development which is disappointing as the material could have been mined for much more depth.

   The story comes together pretty much as you would expect with a few twists to keep it interesting. It has a lot of heart and you do get to learn interesting things about American Samoa but it's far from Mr. Waititi's best.

The Marvels

 

    

        It's been a while since we've actually had a new Marvel film and this new adventure serves as a sequel of sorts to "Captain Marvel".  It's really for fans and I certainly wouldn't recommend it as a introduction to the Marvel universe. Bree Larson stars once again as Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel and this time we find her, reluctantly at first, joining Monica Rambeau (now grown), played by Teyonah Parris and Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel, played by Iman Vellani as "The Marvels.

        After a jump point anomaly in space causes the three women to switch places when using their powers, the trio eventually team up against Dar-Benn, played by Zawe Ashton, a Kree warrior who wants revenge against Captain Marvel, who's actions have accidentally led to the devastation of the Kree home world. 

         There are subplots involving Ms. Marvels family and Nick Fury's involvement as well as a detour to help some Skrull refugees and a dance number on a planet where language is sung which all lead to a less than cohesive plot. The tone of the film is a bit all over as well, juvenile at times, silly (too many cats) , and then suddenly very serious.

         The plentiful CGI and special effects are decent. The best thing about the film though is the solid chemistry between the three leads. They trade fun one-liners and find a true heart and soul between them.

          Of course being a Marvel film, there are two significant scenes at the end and mid-credits that allude to "more to come" for some of the characters.

        

The Killer

 

       Michael Fassbender stars as "The Killer", a hitman for hire in this new drama from director David Fincher. The film is divided into chapters that follow a hit gone wrong.

        The film co-stars Arliss Howard, Charles Parnell, Tilda Swinton, Sala Baker, Kerry O'Malley and Sophie Charlotte...all in small parts within their given chapters.

         After a botched hit in Paris, we follow "the Killer" through his internal monologue as he jets around the world, trying to proactively "clean up" the repercussions. There is a great on going joke involving the multiple aliases he uses in each country. You can play along and see how many you recognize.

           The film serves as a sort of hitman primer but also as an examination of a man coming to grips with an identity crisis. Mr. Fassbender is excellent in the role but as for directing, it's not Mr. Fincher's best. There are moments that harken back to "Se7en" but they are few and far between.

NYAD

 

   This new drama is the story of marathon swimmer Diana Nyad's incredible non-stop swim from Cuba to the Florida keys. It stars Annette Bening as Diana Nyad and Jodie Foster as her best friend and coach, Bonnie Stoll.

   After a failed attempt at age 28, Diana Nyad decides at 60 to try the extremely difficult and dangerous swim again with Bonnie as her coach. It is simply a remarkable achievement, chronicled here in great detail. Ms. Bening is absolutely incredible in the role and kudos to her for even taking on the part in the first place. Ms. Foster is at her most natural in her role as Bonnie. The two real life friends share a wonderful bond that is faithfully recreated by the performance of the film’s two stars.

    The film co-stars Rhys Ifans as navigator John Bartlett, Karley Rothenberg as skipper Dee Brady, Jeena Yi as Angel Yanagihara, Luke Cosgrove as Luke Tipple, Eric T. Miller as Jack Nelson (teenage Diana's swimming coach, seen in flashbacks) and Garland Scott as Jon Rose.

   Dramatic scenes are interspersed with archival footage of the real Ms. Nyad that adds to the overall exuberant experience of the film. It's a must see, both for the performances and for the inspirational story.

 Available on Netflix.

    

   

Anatomy Of A Fall

 

    Co-writer and director Justine Triet has created a masterful film that is both a courtroom procedural and a family drama.

    When her husband is found dead by their blind eleven year old son, right outside their chalet, writer Sandra Voyter's world is turned upside down. Was it an accident, suicide, or murder is the question? And if it is murder, did Sandra actually kill her husband?

    The film stars Sandra Huller as Sandra, Milo Machado-Graner as her son Daniel, and Swann Arland as her lawyer, Vincent Renzi.  The film co-stars Samuel Theis, in flashbacks, as the husband and Antoine Reinartz as the prosecuting attorney when the case goes to trial.

    Both Ms. Huller and young Mr. Machado-Graner are excellent. Ms. Huller, in particular, is riveting, proclaiming her innocence throughout the film.  Did she or didn't she is the question and the writing is so good, you will have a hard time deciding for yourself.

   The film takes place just outside Grenoble, France and the dialogue is in both French and English. Both Ms. Triet and Ms. Huller are at the top of their game and the film is not to be missed.

     

Priscilla

 

  Austin Butler did such an amazing job portraying Elvis Presley that it's hard to imagine anyone else playing the role now. In this new film written and directed by Sophia Coppola, it's not even an issue since the film is about and from the perspective of Priscilla Presley.

   Jacob Elordi plays Elvis to Cailee Spaeny's Priscilla. While Mr. Elordi tries hard (he's no Mr. Butler but then again, he doesn't have to be), it's Ms. Spaeny who shines in the film. She portrays Priscilla from age 14 to age 27 and is wonderful to watch. Ms. Coppola wrote the screenplay based on Ms. Presley's book, "Elvis and Me" so one would assume much of what happens in the film actually took place. Ms. Spaeny captures it all through Ms. Coppola's lens, from her wide eyed innocence to the craziness and isolation of being Mrs. Elvis Presley.

    The film co-stars Dagmara Dominczyk as Ann Beaulieu, Priscilla's mother and Luke Humphrey as Terry West. The rest of the cast are not well known actors who portray other characters in Elvis and Priscilla's orbit.

    Focusing her camera on Priscilla, we don't hear any Elvis music or see any of his performances (except a snippet), and the commanding Colonel Parker is only mentioned off screen. We see his world through Priscilla and it's actually a pretty strange one. She moves into Graceland when she is 16, marries Elvis at 21 and divorces him 6 years later. Elvis insists she always stays at Graceland, forbidding her to take even a part time job, picks out her clothes and makeup and yet is almost never home since he's off making most of his Hollywood movies during this period.

   Ms. Coppola gets the period just right. The clothes are perfect as are the cars, the sets and all the visuals. The film has an ethereal quality throughout which is a trademark with all of Ms. Coppola's films. She takes us into a world we could only imagine and shows us the the one of a kind reality it truly was.