Avengers: Infinity War

        It's hard to avoid the marketing machine surrounding this film but I have to say, it lives up to the hype...and then some. This is the blockbuster Marvel fans have been waiting for. Almost every Marvel film for the past decade has led up to this point and directors Anthony & Joe Russo make sure no one leaves the theater disappointed.

             All your favorite heroes are back, from Iron Man to Spiderman and Doctor Strange to Captain America and Black Panther to take on the cosmic threat of Thanos, the Mad Titan. Thanos is searching for the six Infinity Stones that will give him ultimate power and it's up to almost every superhero in the Marvel universe to try to stop him. That's the basic plot. Writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely keep it simple and yet when you have to cram so many characters into the story, they remarkably keep it balanced as well. The screenplay splits the characters into mixed teams, protecting the stones and coming at Thanos and from different directions.  The story contains plenty of humor but also moments of shock and devastating surprise.

           The Russo Brothers make sure there is plenty of action and everyone gets their fair share of screen time. Credit the writers and directors for structuring the story in such a well balanced way that every scene counts and never feels gratuitously overstuffed. Every shift in the story works and it's never boring. Even the quiet moments are important and emotional.

          While it gets a little sloppy in some of the big battle sequences, the CGI is generally excellent. There is great attention to detail in creating Thanos. Josh Brolin's features and voice are married to CGI and motion capture work to create a living breathing villain. The same can be said of Rocket Raccoon, voiced again by Bradley Cooper and Groot, voice by Vin Diesel.

          As with all Marvel films, it's become standard to stay for the post credits scene or two. In this case, there is only one but it is very important to the story and true fans will recognize the clue of things to come.

         Marvel continues to raise the bar for comic to film adaptations. Keep them coming....

Beirut

     Jon Hamm is a terrific leading man in this tense political thriller. Working as an American diplomat in Beirut in 1972, Mason Skiles life is shattered one night and the film quickly jumps ten years.  Now self employed as a corporate negotiator in Boston and drinking heavily, Mason is drawn back to Beirut to help rescue one of his best friends, who has been taken hostage by extremists.

     Co-starring Roseamund Pike, Dean Norris, Shea Whigham, and Mark Pellegrino, the film is a real world "adult" drama with a engrossing story of political intrigue. In a past life, Mason Skiles would have a lot in common with Don Draper, Mr. Hamm's character on "Mad Men", so the transition to leading man in this instance is a comfortable one for Mr. Hamm. It's not a total stretch but enough to showcase Mr. Hamm in a solid leading role. Ms. Pike as Sandy Crowder, starts the film with not much to do but her part becomes stronger and more detailed as the film goes on and Ms. Pike handles the role admirably. 

     Tangiers substitutes for Beirut and the film looks very realistic.  It boils over with the tensions of the region and an epilogue reminds us of the Israeli invasion of Lebanon and Beirut in the '80's.

Ready Player One

      The latest science fiction adventure from director Steven Spielberg is based on the best selling novel by Ernest Cline. It is high speed escapist fun that splits its time between the real world of Earth in 2045 and the virtual reality world of "The Oasis".

       Ty Sheridan stars as Wade Watts, a young man living in "the stacks", a ghetto of sorts in Columbus Ohio. He spends most of his waking hours as "Parzival", his avatar in the world of The Oasis. Designed by James Halliday, played by a terrific Mark Rylance, The Oasis started out as an immersive online game but has now become a way of life for most people. When Halliday dies, he leaves behind the ultimate game, find three keys that reveal clues to an "easter egg". Whoever finds the egg, will control the Oasis and Halliday's fortune.

       The film co-stars Ben Mendlesohn as Nolan Sorrento, the villainous CEO of a company out to control The Oasis for themselves.  Also starring are Olivia  Cooke and Lena Waithe as friends of Parzival, Simon Pegg as Ogden Morrow, the co-creator of The Oasis, and T. J. Miller as the voice of i-Rok, an Oasis villain.

      Mr. Spielberg is the perfect director for this story. He infuses his love of sci-fi as well as pop culture into every scene. Much of the viewing fun is spotting all the pop culture references, some more obvious than others. He also stresses themes of diversity and family with his cast choices and their interactions.

      There are eye-popping visuals in a story that never seems to slow down as it toggles between what's real and what's virtual reality. Targeted for a very specific audience, it is loud and overwhelming at times but fans of this genre will really enjoy themselves.

A Quiet Place

    Co-written and directed by John Krasinski, this horror film offers a new twist on your typical monster movie. Mr. Krasinski stars along with his wife Emily Blunt, as parents of three young kids trying to survive in a world inhabited by creatures that hunt by sound.

     The film drops the audience right into the story without much of an explanation as to the origin of the creatures. They are devoid of sight and smell and rely completely on sound to hunt. They are powerful and fast and seemingly have wiped out most life on the planet as we meet the Abbott family scavenging in an abandoned town, avoiding the creatures by making as little sound as they can. The family communicates by sign language, walks barefoot and tries to make some kind of life on an farm they have found in the countryside.

     Without sound, the audience must adapt to the rhythm of the film, which heightens the visual impact. Mr. Krasinski employs a terrific score and amplification to create tension from natural sound and movement. This makes for a very suspenseful film as the creatures find their way to the farm despite the best efforts of the Abbotts to keep silent.

     The cast is terrific with Ms. Blunt a stand out. Her expressive acting is riveting especially in the scene where she endures giving birth, trying to remain silent under horrendous conditions. Millicent Simmonds, a deaf actor, plays their daughter and she too, is terrific, especially in the last third of the film. Noah Jupe plays the older son, Marcus and Cade Woodward is the youngest son, Beau.

      The central theme is really about family and less about the monsters. The violence is kept to a bare minimum and so is any bloodshed.  Mr. Krasinski prefers the tactics of Alfred Hitchcock to create tension and suspense. Less is more in this instance. A nail in a floorboard becomes one of the scariest visuals in the film. I highly recommend seeing this in a theater with an audience rather than at home where I think it will lose some of it's impact. The scares are better when you can share them with others.

Isle of Dogs

             Written for the screen and directed by Wes Anderson, this stop motion animation features a great cast of vocal talent and is utterly charming. The screenplay is from an original story by Mr. Anderson, Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman and Kunichi Nomura.

              The film takes place in the fictitious Japanese city of Megasaki, 20 years in the future  where dog flu has run rampant through the canine population and the cat loving Mayor has banished all dogs to Trash Island. His young ward Atari steals a plane and flies to the island to find his own dog, Spots. He is befriended by a small band of particular dogs who agree to help him.

       Mr. Anderson makes many interesting choices for this film. He sets it in Japan and all the humans only speak in their native Japanese. There are no subtitles. The audience is deliberately told this at the beginning of the film as well as letting us know all the dog barking is translated into English. There is one American human character as well as an interpreter that help fill in the story for an English speaking audience. The story is steeped in Japanese culture and yet completely relatable to a wide audience. Coincidently, the story is very timely as the young adult population of Megasaki rally to bring about a major turning point in the film.

                      The team of puppeteers and animators Mr. Anderson has assembled have done nothing short of brilliant work with amazing attention to the smallest detail. Every dog character has a very distinct look and personality. The large vocal cast includes Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Scarlett Johansson, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Bob Balaban, Frances McDormand, Harvey Keitel, Greta Gerwig, F. Murray Abraham, Liev Schreiber, Yoko Ono, Kunichi Nomura and Koyu Rankin as Atari.

            While a serious story at its core, it's an adventure filled with suspense and yet plenty of sly humor. Cute as it may look, it's not a film for small children who may find it somewhat confusing and even scary at times. Canine flu is a real disease and while the film takes it to an extreme, dog owners should consider vaccinating their own pets if they are social and spend a lot of time around other dogs.

Annihilation

      Written and directed by Alex Garland, this new sci-fi film is based on the best selling novel of the same name. It is a dazzling trippy story that takes place in "The Shimmer", an area of earth that has been taken over by an alien lifeform for no apparent reason. The story starts when a meteor crashes into a lighthouse and the shimmer appears and starts to spread.

        Natalie Portman stars as an ex-military, biologist whose husband, played by Oscar Isaac,  returns after disappearing into the shimmer for a year. Once he returns, his health immediately deteriorates and to save him, Ms. Portman and four other scientists head into the shimmer to try to figure out the source of the phenomena.

         The other scientists are played by Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, Gina Rodriguez, and Tuva Novotny. To Mr. Garland's credit, the fact that five woman make up the major cast never seems out of the ordinary and and perfectly natural. From an audience perspective, it's a pretty forward thinking casting choice and the women make the most of their roles.

         Once inside the shimmer, the film turns into a very trippy adventure. The landscape is beautiful, filled with strange plants and creatures that are mutating from the original fauna and flora. The soundtrack as well, creates an alien sensation as the five woman go deeper into the shimmer to reach the lighthouse and source of the mystery. There are moments of violent surprise and constant suspense throughout the film. Once the destination is reached, the story goes off the rails in surreal craziness, giving us answers but even more questions.

          This is a thought provoking sci-fi adventure that keeps its audience off balance. Truly cinema escapism.

Foxtrot

      Making the short list for Best Foreign Film but ultimately not getting a deserved nomination at this year's Academy Award, this is a mesmerizing new Israeli drama from writer/director Samuel Maoz.

       Lior Ashkenasi and Sarah Adler star as grief stricken parents who learn at the onset of the film that their son, Jonathan has been killed in the line of military duty.  At once a meditation on grief, the film becomes so much more in a surprising and deliberately paced story.

       The film is divided into three sections. It is a deeply moving film filled with moments that catch an audience off guard. Mr. Maoz use of unconventional camera angles and surreal flashes as the story unfolds keep the viewer in an hypnotic state even in moments of pure tedium.

       Ms. Adler and Mr. Ashkenasi are both terrific but Mr. Ashkenasi, already a well respected Israeli actor, takes his skills to another level as a man torn apart by grief and guilt. Even in moments of silence (of which there are many), his expressive face, at once breaks your heart, as well as keeps you on edge waiting for his inner turmoil to spill out.

        When art is done right, it should leave an impact on it's audience. This haunting drama will leave you reeling and deeply affected well after the final credits.

Game Night

              If you're looking for some mindless escapist fun, then this new comedy is for you. Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams star as Max and and Annie, a competitive, game obsessed, couple who enjoy having their friends over for game night.

              When Brooks, Max's super successful older brother, played by Kyle Chandler, invites everyone to his house for a live mystery night game, a real kidnapping changes the rules and suddenly everyone is not sure what's real and what's part of the game. It's a fun premise that has plenty of potential and makes good on a great number of laughs and twists.

        Max's and Annie's friends are played by Billy Magnussen, Sharon Horgan, Lamorne Morris, and Kylie Bunbury. Jesse Plemons plays a strange next door neighbor and Danny Huston, Michael C. Hall, and Jeffrey Wright have small but important roles.

             Most of the best laughs come during the first half of the film.  The second half dissolves into a typical crime comedy "wrap it up with the bad guys" to get to the end plot but still throws a few curve balls. Mr. Bateman and Ms. McAdams have great chemistry between them and it's fun to see Kyle Chandler having a good time since he usually plays more serious parts.

               Besides lots of physical comedy,  the script is filled with great one-liners and puns. You can't lose with this game. And stay past the credits for a quick but key sequence.

The Insult

       Nominated for best Foreign Film at this year's Academy Awards, this Lebanese film is a terrific and tense drama about how a war of words can easily escalate into something much worse. 

       An exchange of words between Yasser, a Palestinian construction foreman and Tony, a Lebanese Christian, over Tony's broken balcony drain lead to insults that escalate into physical violence, courtroom appearances and National attention.

       Adel Karam plays Tony and Kamel El Basha plays Yasser and both men are excellent. Tony, with his short fuse and pride, stubbornly refuses to back down after Yasser's insult. He demands an apology but Yasser, who, in his quiet dignity, refuses feeling he is the one who should get an apology. In fear since he is the minority refuge, Yasser would prefer to say nothing as their argument ends in a courtroom that does nothing to resolve the issue and only make things worse.

       The war of words that escalates is easily a universal situation but here is heightened by the social, religious and political background in Lebanon.  As the tension mounts, there are surprises and hidden facts revealed.  The complexity of Middle Eastern politics can be difficult for an American audience but this is a film with a message that is both thought provoking and entertaining. It certainly deserves it's Oscar nomination and very possibly a win.

Black Panther

       Culturally significant, this new superhero film sets itself apart from the rest of the Marvel films with its predominately African American cast and director. It also features women in strong key roles. It's an enjoyable stand alone film but definitely reminds it's audience of it's ties to the Marvel Universe (especially in a final post credit scene).

       Racial and sexual politics aside, it's well cast and directed (by Ryan Coogler, who also co-wrote the script) and includes some dazzling special effects. At it's core, the film is a cross between James Bond, Star Wars, and The Lion King. It strives to be important (and it is) but also takes itself far too seriously. It tackles some heavy subjects with too little comic relief. To be fair, there are a few good laughs and a visual gag or two. The armored rhinos were a bit over the top though.

       Chadwick Boseman stars as T'Challa, prince of Wakanda ( a fictional African country) who is also the Black Panther, a living symbol of his people. When his father is killed, he inherits the throne but heavy is the head that wears the crown. He soon finds himself in a fight with Klaue, the man who killed his father and also Erik Killmonger, a challenger for the throne. He must also decide to keep Wakanda's technology hidden or share their knowledge and resources with the rest of the world. Mr. Boseman handles himself aptly in and out of his costume.

           Klaue is played by Andy Serkis, who chews up the scenery and appears to be really enjoying himself. It's probably due in part that he finally has a role that isn't motion capture. Killmonger is played by Michael B. Jordan, who is a formidable villain. Also in major roles are Dania Guria ( Michonne from "The Walking Dead") as Okoye, the leader of the Dora Milaje, T'Challa's all female royal guards and Lupita Nyong'o as Nikia, T'Challa's former lover and Wakanda spy. The large cast also features Daniel Kaluuya as W'Kabi, Letitia Wright as Shuri, Angela Bassett as Ramonda, Forest Whitaker as Zuri, Winston Duke as M'Baku and Martin Freeman as Everett Ross. In a film striving for authenticity, it's interesting to note that Mr. Freeman who is British plays an American CIA agent. Sterling K. Brown has an important cameo as well. The characters are fully realized played by a very talented ensemble.

            With this film, Marvel once again raises the bar for superhero films. Mr Coogler has brought to life an iconic, comic book Black hero that a culture and community can proudly call their own. And better yet, he stars in a major Hollywood vehicle that should still appeal to a mass audience, regardless of race or sex.

A Fantastic Woman

    Selected as a nominee for Best Foreign film at next month's Oscars, this is a heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting drama from Chile. It is co-written and beautifully directed by Sebastian Lelio. It features a remarkable and yes, fantastic performance by Daniela Vega as Marina, a transgender woman struggling to get her life in order after her lover dies suddenly.

     After a birthday celebration, Orlando (played by Francisco Reyes), thirty years her senior, awakens feeling ill. While waiting for Marina, his illness is complicated by a fall down a flight of stairs. Marina takes him to the hospital but he soon dies, leaving Marina in shock and confusion. Questioned and examined by the police, harassed and ostracized by Orlando's family, Marina's world is further turned upside down.  

     While a fictitious story, there is so much ugly truth here that it only serves to heighten the amazing performance by Ms. Vega. As a transgender woman, one must believe she has dealt with (and may continue to deal with) many of the prejudices and hate faced by Marina in the film.

     What makes it even more compelling is just how universal her story really is. Anyone can relate to the terrible circumstances faced by Marina, made only more complicated for her as a transgender woman. Ms. Vega performance is heartbreaking but her strength shines through the sadness and her raw, honest portrayal borders on magical. 

12 Strong

   A military action drama based on the true story of the U.S. first response against the Taliban in Afghanistan after 9/11. A month after the Twin Towers were brought down, an elite squad of 12 soldiers were sent to Afghanistan to work with the local freedom fighters against a Taliban stronghold. 

       Chris Hemsworth stars as Mitch Nelson, the leader of the squad that includes Michael Pena and Michael Shannon. The film also co-stars Rob Riggle and William Fichtner as Nelson's superior officers and Naved Negahban as General Abdul Dostum, the leader of the Afghan Northern Alliance. There is no denying that Mr. Hemsworth is a dashing hero but rather than playing the mythical Thor, here he represents a real American hero and he is just terrific.

        The film is gritty and very realistic. The battle sequences are very exciting and what really sets the film aside is the horses that the soldiers find themselves needing to carry out their mission. The film is based on a book called "Horse Soldiers", written about the classified mission. It is amazing to watch the unit fight on horseback and even more amazing to know that the animals were't harmed during the making of the film. In the credits we learn there was an animation unit as well as a puppetry unit  that I'm sure were used to simulate the horses when they were in danger (and they are quite a bit).

        The story is thrilling and patriotic and you can't help but rally around Nelson and his men. What makes it even more remarkable is realizing that the film is a recreation of a real mission, carried out by real soldiers.  It's stories like this that reinforce an appreciation of our military and how they put their lives on the line every day protecting our freedom.

Call Me by Your Name

            A coming of age, romantic drama set in 1983, this is a story of first love and sexual awakening. It is beautifully filmed and extremely well acted by it's two leads, Armie Hammer and Timothee Chalamet.

           Michael Stuhlbarg is Dr. Perlman, a Professor of Archaeology who spends the summer at a house in Northern Italy with his wife (played by Amira Casar) and seventeen year old son, Elio, played by Mr. Chalamet. Every summer, Professor Perlman enlists the assistance of a student aid and when the film opens we meet Oliver (Mr. Hammer) who slowly awakens confusing feelings in Elio. What starts as a friendship soon turns to much more.

            The setting of the film is just exquisite. I found myself wanting to leap into the film and enjoy a summer, outdoor dinner among the fruit trees of the property. The film is a lush visual treat. Oliver and Elio begin their romance in a slow, subtle "dance" of mutual attraction and Elio is eventually totally smitten with the older Oliver. Mr. Hammer does his best work to date, showing a vulnerability underneath a confident exterior. Mr. Chalamet is simply amazing as he wrestles with his feelings and ultimately acts upon them. The closing moments of the film show a remarkable range in a dialog free scene for the young actor.

             Luca Guadagnino directs from a script by James Ivory. Mr. Guadagnino purposes limits the nudity and the sex scenes in the film to hopefully broaden it's audience. He prefers to leave much to the audience's imagination cutting away from the protagonists in their most intimate moments. He blends this tender, romantic story with a wonderful combination of acting, writing, music (by Sufjan Stevens) and cinematography.

Darkest Hour

        Directed by Joe Wright and starring Gary Oldman, this is a British war drama focusing on the early days of Winston Churchill. Having just won the Golden Globe for his portrayal of Mr. Churchill, Gary Oldman is now the front runner for a well deserved  Best Actor Oscar as well.

           The film is set in May 1940,  Mr. Churchill has just become the new Prime Minister just as Hitler's forces are occupying most of Europe and bearing down on England. The British forces are trapped on the beaches of Dunkirk and Mr. Churchill is faced with ultimate decisions affecting the troops, England and the outcome of the war. 

            Portraying Winston Churchill may very well be the pinnacle of Mr. Oldman's career. It is a towering performance that presides over the entire film. Praise must be given to his co-stars as well though, including Kristen Scott Thomas as Mrs. Churchill, Ben Mendelsohn as King George, and a wonderful Lily James as Elizabeth Layton, Mr. Churchill's loyal secretary.

            Mr.  Wright's direction moves the film along at a brisk clip with wonderful sets and cinematography, faithfully recreating  wartime London. I didn't want to see it end. The film makes a great companion piece to Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk" as history is seen from both sides in what was truly a darkest time for England.

In The Fade

           Written and directed by Fatih Akin, this new German foreign language film is sadly based on incidents taking place worldwide everywhere that hate and prejudice continue to fester. 

          It is the story of Katja, a German woman, who's husband and son are killed by a bomb at the onset of the film. It's a difficult but important story anchored by an incredible performance.

           Katja is played by Diane Kruger, who is simply amazing in the role. Her grief, anger, guilt and all the emotions tumbling around in her head in the aftermath are brutally honest. Every note of her performance is raw and her outrage and hatred is so intense, the audience is on edge wondering how this will all play out. 

          What the police initially believe is drug related violence, turns out to be something far more sinister, when it is discovered the people responsible are a neo-nazi group targeting minorities in Germany (Katja's husband is Turkish). The film parallels an episode of Law & Order, first the crime and then the trial but the consequences are unexpected and the drama far exceeds anything done on a weekly TV show.

          The title of the film is taken from a song by Josh Homme (who composed the music for the film). It represents Katja's state of being after the bombing. Ms. Kruger has done fine work in many American movies and television shows (find "The Bridge" on Fox demand or Netflix) but this represents a new high for her in her native German.

The Square

          An avant garde dark comedy from writer/director Ruben Ostlund (Force Majeure), this new film, while set in an art museum, covers more ground than just tearing down the pretentiousness of the art world.

           The film stars Claes Bang as Christian, the curator of a contemporary  art museum in Sweden. Early in the film Christian is the victim of a pickpocket scam and loses his phone, wallet, and cufflinks. This incidence reverberates throughout the film impacting everything that follows. It co-stars Elisabeth Moss as Ann, an American journalist and Dominic West as Julian, an artist with an exhibition in the museum. Both are small but significant roles. Terry Notary also co-stars as Oleg, a performance artist, in a prolonged dinner sequence that is surreal, humorous and frightening all at the same time.

           Mr. Ostlund skewers the art world with various set pieces but also has a lot to say about class prejudice, trust (sexual and otherwise), freedom of speech, and equal rights. He deliberately sets up uncomfortable and absurist situations that force a reaction from the audience. There are moments that  will make you laugh or shudder and others that will clearly have you scratching your head. 

            A film like this is not meant to simply entertain. It forces an audience to pay attention and really digest what you are watching.  It's a bold film that takes a lot of risks and probably won't appeal to a mainstream American audience but if you like offbeat and even challenging film, "The Square" is a good choice. The film is in Swedish (with subtitles) and English.

My Best and Worst Films of 2017

Best of 2017

Dunkirk- Simply a masterpiece of film making.

The Shape of Water- a most unusual but surprising and poetic love story.

I, Tonya- Terrific true life tabloid tale told from various viewpoints featuring wonderful acting.

The Florida Project- Practically a documentary on a segment of American life on the fringe with an adorable leading lady.

Logan- a comic book movie as mythic western taken to an entirely different level.

Land of Mine- fantastic story based on a little known piece of World War II Danish history.

Three Billboards outside Ebbing Missouri- Wildly original with a tremendous cast.

Get Out- race relations in today’s America disguised as a horror film.

Hostiles- terrific western with great performances by Christian Bale and Rosamund Pike.

Patti Cake$- Indy hip-hop film with an unlikely star in the making.

Honorable Mention

Lady Bird- perfect coming of age film.

Detroit- devastating story of the riots in ‘60’s Detroit with brave and meticulous direction by Kathryn Bigalow.

Roman J. Esq. – Denzel Washington as we’ve never seen him

Wonder Woman- D. C. comics finally gets it right and Gal Gadot is just terrific.

The Big Sick- girl in a coma produces big laughs. Who would have thought?

Baby Driver- a totally new way of syncing the soundtrack to the film raises the bar on this action crime film.

The Post- freedom of the press with Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks

Worst of 2017

The Beguiled- This is art taken to new level of boredom.

Passengers- How can two exciting stars still sink a film?

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets- Horrible casting makes this almost unwatchable.

The Only Living Boy in New York- I don’t even remember the plot.

Mother!- WTF!

Wonder Wheel- Woody’s losing it. Kate Winslet does try to save it though.

Downsizing- Conned by the trailers, this “comedy” turns very serious with great ideas never realized.

The Comedian- just a sad, sad film.

Life- Alien rip-off

Justice League- Wonder Woman is the best thing about this “boy’s club” mess.

The Greatest Showman

         As light and sugary sweet as cotton candy, this version of P.T. Barnum's life is homogenized and sanitized family fun. Hugh Jackman stars as Barnum and there is no doubting his talent as an actor and singer. After his wonderful dramatic turn in "Logan" earlier this year, this new film proves he can do pretty much anything.

            Mr. Jackman is joined by Michele Williams as his wife, Charity and Zac Efron as his eventual partner, Phillip Carlyle ( a fictionalized version of James Anthony Bailey). The performers of Barnum's circus are wonderful and standouts are Zendaya as Ann, the trapeze artist and Keala Settle as the bearded lady. Also co-starring are Rebecca Ferguson as the Swedish singer, Jenny Lind and Paul Sparks as James Gordon Bennet, the founder of the NY Herald and an early critic of Barnum.

            There are memorable song and dance sequences and the film does exactly what it's meant to do despite the fact it takes much liberty with Barnum's real life. It speeds through his early years to concentrate on the adult version of P.T. Barnum and how his circus was born.Even if it is a fluff piece with no real depth, it's all good, clean, holiday fun for the family, 

Phantom Thread

       Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, this film marks his second collaboration with Daniel Day-Lewis. Set in the fashion world of London in the 1950's, Mr. Day-Lewis plays Reynolds Woodcock, a renowned designer and dressmaker to royalty and the stars of the day.

        Woodcock is a confirmed bachelor (by his own words) too caught up in his work for a real relationship. Women come through his life as temporary muses and once he tires of one, moves on to the next. The only constant female in his life is his protective sister, Cyril, play by Lesley Manville. One day he meets Alma, played by Vicky Krieps, and once she enters his world, she becomes more than he expected and real love enters and disrupts his meticulous life.

         The film is gorgeous to look at, from the production value to the costumes and dress designs, it is exquisite. Mr. Day-Lewis is superb as always, giving himself over completely to the role of a perfectionist artist. Ms. Krieps more than holds her own in all their scenes together. The thread bare plot is about obsession, control and what happens when perfection is compromised by love. The relationship between Alma and Woodcock becomes a game of control, bordering on madness, with mutual love at stake.

          Flowing like a soft fabric in a light breeze, the film is quiet and orderly.  Woodcock's conservative and buttoned-up nature provides some unexpected comic relief with many a memorable line or expression. Mr. Anderson treats his film like the most delicate of lace and reveals his layers slowly and methodically.  It is a film more of style than substance, save for watching a master actor in what is rumored to be his last role.

Hostiles

        Written and directed by Scott Cooper, this is the best period western since "Unforgiven". It's pace is meticulous and deliberate with no wasted dialog. There are stretches where nothing seems to happen (and yet so much does) and then moments of horrific violence. It is a simple story yet filled with emotion that runs deep into your soul with a towering performance by Christian Bale.

         Mr. Bale plays Captain Joseph Blocker who, in 1892 reluctantly agrees to escort a dying Cheyenne chief and his family back to his tribal homeland. He is weary from all the death and destruction of the Indian wars and has no love for Chief Yellow Hawk, played by Wes Studi. But facing a court martial if he disobeys orders, they start out on the perilous journey. Along the way, they encounter the widow Rosalie Quaid played by Rosamund Pike, who's anguish and grief is heartbreaking. The three principles, all hurt and empty from their personal losses, develop great chemistry as the small band moves northward to Montana.

            Co-starring in various military roles are Ben Foster,  Stephen Lang, Jesse Plemons, Jonathan Majors, Timothee Chalamet, and Peter Mullen. Adam Beach and Q'orianka Kilcher play Yellow Hawk's son and daughter-in-law. While it is a fine cast, the heart and soul of the film are the three leads. Mr. Bale, Ms. Pike and Mr. Studi can express more with just a look than any dialog.

             The film is beautifully shot with gorgeous New Mexico, Colorado and Montana landscapes forming the background. Mr. Cooper takes his time telling his story but pulls no punches making it clear we are all capable of being the hostiles.