Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania

   If you are a fan of Marvel movies and especially the Ant-Man series, of course, this is a must see. If not you can easily avoid it.

   The best that can be said about "Quantumania" is it introduces the newest great Marvel villain, Kang the Conqueror, a time traveling supervillain who is a core Marvel character. In the film, Kang is played by Jonathan Majors and he is terrific.

   Aside from a silly intro scene, the entire film take place in the sub-atomic world of the Quantum realm which is visually overwhelming and looks like a rejected idea from the Star Wars production team. Not only do many parts of the sets look familiar but some costumes and various creatures also seem very much Star Wars castoffs. 

   Returning to the series of course are Paul Rudd as Scott Lang aka Ant-Man, Evangeline Lily as Hope Van Dyne aka Wasp, Michael Douglas as Hank Pym, Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet Van Dyne, and Corey Stoll as Darren, now appearing as M.O.D.O.K. Scott's Daughter Cassie, now a teenager (with her own Pym Particle suit) is played by Kathryn Newton. Bill Murray also appears in a pointless and distracting cameo.

   The film is overblown with special effects, noise and much running around with characters shooting and fighting each other. There is no real plot to speak of except for Kang and the others looking for a way out of the Quantum realm. To counter balance the chaos of the film, the writers attempt to add a human element, father and daughter bonding. "I love you peanut" just makes you want to cringe.

   There are two extra scenes, both significant for a change. One mid-credits explaining more about Kang and one post credits, a complete and welcome surprise to any Marvel fan. 

This film exists only as an introduction to Kang and the bridge to the next Marvel movie/TV show. If not already obvious, the filmmakers remind you at the end, "Kang will return".

Close

 

   This is a story of childhood's lost innocence as two very close friends, Leo and Remi enter high school and adolescence.

    It's a universal story that is so emotional and heart wrenching, that at times is hard to watch. Taking place in a small town in Belgium, Leo and Remi have grown up together, the best of friends. When they start the new school year, their intimate friendship is misperceived by new classmates and life begins to change for the boys. 

    The film stars Eden Dambrine as Leo and Gustav De Waele as Remi. The are both terrific but young Mr. Dambrine takes things to another level. His acting is so pure and real that he will take your breath away and in many scenes, tear a hole in your heart.

     Directed and co-written by Lukas Dhont, there is so much to unpack in this tender, emotionally rich story that discussions about the film could last for hours. This is Belgium's well deserved Academy Award nomination for best International film.

      In French with subtitles and currently only in theaters.

Sharper

 

         A welcome return to a genre we haven't seen in a while, this is a fun ride that will keep you guessing until the end. The less said about the film, the better.

         The film stars Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, Briana Middleton and John Lithgow. It's a terrific cast that will raise your anxiety level as you try to keep up with them.

         Directed with smooth assurance by Benjamin Caron, the film moves from the streets to the penthouses of New York with money on everyone's mind. You could argue it's not perfect, especially in the last act but it's certainly good enough to be very entertaining.

          Exclusive to Apple TV +

To Leslie

 

      Andrea Riseborough is sensational and fully deserving of her Academy Award nomination for the lead role in this Indie drama.

     Ms. Riseborough stars as Leslie, an alcoholic single mother who years earlier won $190,000 in the Texas lottery but lost it all to drink and drugs. After abandoning her young son and hitting rock bottom, she attempts to get her life back on track but with little success. Years later, her son now grown, Leslie tries to reunite with him but falls into old habits and he tells her to leave.

      Returning to her home in Braddock Texas, life is still difficult for her, but Leslie's life starts to change for the better when she meets Sweeny, played by Marc Maron. The film also co-stars Allison Janney, Andre Royo, Owen Teague and Stephen Root.

       It's a tale of redemption that we've all seen before but Ms. Riseborough's commitment to the role is fierce. She inhabits Leslie with a raw depth of emotion that makes you ache for her failures and root for her little victories. It is her finest performance to date.

Knock at The Cabin

 

    Co-written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, this is a thought-provoking thriller that asks a great philosophical question. Would you sacrifice a member of your family to save the rest of the world?

     Jonathan Groff stars as Eric and Ben Aldridge stars as Andrew, two dads who with their adopted Asian daughter Wen (played by the adorable Kristen Cui) are on vacation at a cabin deep in the Pennsylvania woods. A literal knock at the door introduces them to Leonard and his three companions who have had shared visions of the apocalypse and need their help to avert it.

     Leonard is played by Dave Bautista, very much against type but still a physically scary presence. His friends, Sabrina, played by Nikki Amuka-Bird, Abby Quinn as Adriane, and Rubert Grint as Redmond all have very distinct personalities which come to light late in the film, if not already guessed by the audience.

      The entire film plays out in and around the cabin, pausing at times show relevant images on the cabin's flat screen TV. The four visitors have tied up the two men and have explained that they must sacrifice a member of their family within the next 24 hours to save the world. The claustrophobic setting tightens the suspense but don't expect to be scared. It's not that kind of thriller. 

       As the story progresses, it seems obvious that a simple solution will play itself out but being Mr. Shyamalan, there is always one final twist in store.

       
"The Sixth Sense" was Mr. Shyamalan's masterpiece and most of his films have never reached that level with some better than others. This one is better than average only due to the thought-provoking question it raises that may have you discussing it, long after the credits roll.

Triangle of Sadness

 

    Writer/director Ruben Ostlund has everybody fooled. This film is nominated for Best Picture and was a hit at Cannes winning the Palm d' Or. Sorry but this is much ado about nothing. It pretends to be a satirical look at the pretentious uber-rich but aside from a very few amusing scenes, its social commentary falls flat and rings hollow.

      It starts out well enough with male models auditioning for a photo shoot.  It is there that we meet Carl, a model and boyfriend to Yaya. This vaporous couple constantly argue over money and gender roles. As a social influencer, Yaya is invited for a cruise on a super luxurious yacht where we meet the rest of the cast.

       Everyone is extremely wealthy and obnoxious in their own way.  A terribly gross dinner scene attempts to give them their due in the worst physical way. Later on, a new situation finds role reversal to be the order of the day, an unoriginal concept that appears to have been stolen right from Lina Wertmuller's "Swept Away".

       The film stars Harris Dickinson as Carl, Charlbi Dean as Yaya. It also features Dolly de Leon as Abigail, Zlatko Buric as Dimitry and Iris Berben as Therese. Interesting enough the only American in the cast is Woody Harrelson, who appears to have slept walked from a different film to appear as the captain of the yacht. He adds absolutely nothing to the already shallow story. The whole thing is a big bore wrapped up in a pretty bow.

         The ending will leave you shaking your head wondering did I miss something? I have a better nomination for the film...worst movie of the year.

You People

    

    A terrific cast is wasted in this uneven and at times cringeworthy, new comedy. The film is written by Kenya Barris and Jonah Hill. Mr. Barris also directed the film and Mr. Hill stars as Ezra Cohen, along with Lauren London as Amira, his girlfriend, Eddie Murphy as Akbar, Amira's father, Nia Long as Amira's mother, Julia Louis -Dreyfus as Ezra's mother Shelly, David Duchovny as Ezra's father and Sam Jay as Mo, Ezra's podcast partner and best friend.

     In some ways, it's an updated comedic take on the film "Guess Who's coming to Dinner" which was radical for it's time in the 1960's when a white woman brings home her black boyfriend to meet her parents. 

    Placed in this contemporary setting, it is a clash of culture and race that fuels the comedy when both sets of parents have no idea how deal with Ezra and Amira's intention to marry. There are a few funny moments but Mr. Murphy plays against type with Mr. Hill and especially Ms. Louis -Dreyfus providing most of the laughs. However, while mildly funny, many of the jokes fall flat and come off cringeworthy and offensive equally to blacks and whites.

   While Mr. Hill and Mr. Barris have a lot to say about race relations and culture, their ideas come off either preachy or as confused as Ezra and Amira are about their situation. There is not a lot of character development except to create stereotypes and and while the actors try hard, the message that we can all get along is too easily resolved at the end.

Living

    

    Bill Nighy is simply fantastic in a nuanced performance of a British bureaucrat facing a terminal illness who reassesses the way he has lived his life. The film is based on a Japanese film, "Ikiru", which in turn was inspired from the Russian novel, "The Death of Ivan llyich".

    Set in London, 1952, Mr. Nighy plays Mr. Williams, a buttoned up, conservative, senior manager at Public Works. His character and the staff under him are typical of the white collar British "gentlemen" of the time. Pinstripe suits, bowler hats, repressed emotions and umbrellas are the uniform of the day.

    When Mr. Williams learns of his illness, he decides to change his old ways for the better but the change is subtle and not drastic. It is a purposeful, understated performance that has been recognized in an Academy Award nomination for Mr. Nighy.

    The film costars Aimee Lou Wood as Ms. Harris, Tom Burke as Mr. Sutherland, Arian Rawlins as Mr. Middleton and Alex Sharpe as Mr. Wakeling. it is a fine cast that captures perfectly the characteristics of the British establishment at the time. 

    The film is heartbreaking in Mr. Williams inability to convey his feelings or even divulge his illness to his family or co-workers but there is a charming buoyancy that grows in Mr. Williams late in the film that keeps it far from a bleak ending.

  This Indie drama rests on squarely on Mr. Nighy's shoulders and he does not disappoint.

Jews of The Wild West

  

  This new documentary tells the story of Jewish immigration to the American West during the period 1850-1920.

     Director Amanda Kinsey uses rare film footage, photographs, and contemporary interviews to create a fascinating view of how a large segment of Jewish immigrants played their part in shaping the wild west. We learn about Josephine Marcus Earp married to the famous Wyatt Earp, Levi Strauss, and many other colorful characters that existed beyond the narrow scope of Hollywood westerns.

     

A Man Called Otto

   

      Tom Hanks stars in this American version of the Swedish film "A Man Called Ove". It's a dramady that teeters on the brink of melodrama but never goes over the edge and rather, wins you over with warmth and it's heart on it's sleeve.

      It's the story of a cantankerous widower and his neighbors that you will know exactly where it's going when the new family moves in across the street. However, the backstory will surprise you and Mr. Hanks is so natural and appealing that you will follow him anywhere

      The film co-stars Mariana Trevino, Manuel Garcia-Ruflo, Truman Hanks (Tom's son as the younger Otto), Mack Beyda, Rachel Keller and Mike Birbiglia.

       Late in the film, the humor is overshadowed by a sweet sadness that permeates until the inevitable ending. You see it coming but Mr. Hanks figuratively holds your hand and makes it alright.

Broker

     Written and directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, this touching new Korean Indie drama stars Song Kang-ho (so good as the patriarch in "Parasite") as a part time baby "Broker" Ha Sang-hyeon. Along side his partner Dong Soo played by Gang Dong-won, they occasionally steal unwanted babies from a church "baby box" and sell them on the black market.

     When a young prostitute, Moon So-young (Lee Ji-eun) leaves her baby at the church, a pair of policewomen played by Bae Doona and Lee Joo-young follow the trail of the baby and hope to arrest the two men. Things get more complicated when Moon returns for the child and ends up with the two men as they try to find the right couple to buy the baby.

     The film is a dramady mixing humor with sentimentality and heartbreak. It doesn't rely on a Hollywood ending which is refreshing. The three leads develop great chemistry along with the adorable baby Woo-sung, and a young boy, Hae-jin played by Im Seung-soo who ends up joining them on their travels. 

     Families don't have to be born of blood as illustrated in this surprising and touching film.

White Noise

 

    Director Noah Baumbach tackles the novel "White Noise" by Don Delillo that many have considered an unfilmable book. He wrote and directed the film which stars Adam Drive, Greta Gerwig and Don Cheadle. 

    For the most part he succeeds in capturing the essence of the novel and its many themes (including death and consumerism) but the film as a whole is uneven despite standout performances. Mr. Driver in particular is amazing, transforming himself into a character like nothing he has ever played.

    This is very much an absurdist black comedy that at times is very funny and at times actually depressing.  It follows the story of a family faced with narcotic addiction, toxic gas exposure, hallucinations, confronting death, Hitler studies and shopping.

    It is a Netflix exclusive.

Causeway

          Jennifer Lawrence returns to the dramatic type of role that got her noticed in the first place. She stars as Lynsey, an Army engineer, who, as the movie begins, has just returned from Afghanistan with a serious head injury. She is rehabbing in New Orleans trying to repair her broken mental and physical health when her truck breaks down and she meets an auto mechanic named James, played by Brian Tyree Henry. Lynsey and James are on different paths but intersect to start a friendship that slowly begins to heal both of them.

          The film costars Linda Emond as Gloria, Lynsey's mother, Jayne Houdyshell as Sharon, the woman in charge of her rehab, Fredrick Weller as Rick, a pool cleaner who hires Lynsey, and Stephen McKinley Henderson as Dr. Lucas who is responsible for signing off on her redeployment.

           Directed by Lila Neugebauer, this quiet Indie is an emotional journey with two fine performances. The great chemistry between Ms. Lawrence and Mr. Henry lends credibility to the drama. 

 

           The film is an exclusive on Apple TV +.

My Top Ten Films for 2022

 MY TOP FILMS FOR 2022-

#1 Everything, Everywhere, All At Once- Completely original with terrific performances. It's a lot to take in upon first viewing but so worth the journey.

#2 The Fabelmans- A minor masterpiece from Steven Spielberg. His most personal film is a love story to his family and to the movies themselves. Wonderful cast.

#3 The Banshees of Inisherin- Martin McDonough's dark comic/drama is beautifully filmed and acted with a standout performance from Colin Farrell.

 #4 Avatar: The Way of Water- while it comes up short on a plot, the immersive experience of the visuals, both flora and fauna are remarkable Nothing else like it, especially in IMAX 3D.

#5 Babylon- A love it or hate it film that worked for me. A bit too long but a wonderful love letter to film with an energy all its own.

#6 TAR- Cate Blanchett's remarkable performance alone makes this a must see.

#7 All Quiet on The Western Front.- a wonderful remake that puts you in the center of the madness that was World War One, told from the German perspective.

#8 Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio- A brilliant stop motion miracle that reexamines the fairy tale from a different, darker perspective. A  beautiful work of art.

#9 The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent- Nicholas Cage is a blast playing Nicholas Cage in this gonzo comedy.

#10 Emily the Criminal- Aubrey Plaza is terrific in this original and surprising crime drama.

Honorable mention-

EO- a remarkable journey through a life of a donkey, told from the donkey's perspective. Encounters both good and bad can be  heartbreaking. Don't expect a Disney film.

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

 

      Guillermo del Toro co-wrote the script with Patrick McHale which was based on the 1883 novel and co-directed the film with Mark Gustafson. Most people know the Disney version of Pinocchio but while there are some similarities, it's much darker in tone, set in fascist Italy with a slightly different supporting cast.  And while the Disney version was full animation, this version is stop-motion, and the visuals are outstanding.

       The film opens with Geppetto (vocal by David Bradley) , the carpenter enjoying life with his real son Carlo. When Carlo is killed by an aerial bombardment, Geppetto plants a pinecone near his grave and mourns his loss. Years go by and the pinecone is now a tree. Geppetto cuts it down and creates Pinocchio (vocal by Gregory Mann). Of course, we must have a talking cricket, in this case, Sebastian J. Cricket (vocal by Ewan McGregor). The main villain is Count Volpe (vocal by Christoph Waltz) who wants Pinocchio for his traveling carnival. His assistant is a monkey named Spazzatura (Vocal by Cate Blanchett). Ron Perlman does the voice of Podesta, a fascist town official who wants to turn Pinocchio into a soldier. Finn Wolfhard does the vocals for his son, Candlewick. Tilda Swinton does double vocal duties as the fairy who brings Pinocchio to life and her sister Death. Tim Blake Nelson does the voices for Death's Black Rabbit assistants.

       There are lighthearted adventures juxtaposed with much darker scenes, but the story does follow a familiar path.  Mr. del Toro even throws in a few songs along the way. The vocal work by the cast is perfect but the brilliance of the film is the stop-motion animation and it's attention to detail. 

This version of Pinocchio is definitely not for small children since it contains many mature themes but older kids and certainly adults should absolutely enjoy this remarkable work of art.

Babylon

      The newest film from writer/director Damian Chazelle is a two-hour masterpiece trapped in a three-hour bloated extravaganza. With some choice editing and unnecessary gross out moments, this would have been a perfect love letter to the early days of "talkies" and the death of the silent age. 

      The year is 1926 and silent films are all the rage but "The Jazz Singer" will soon change everything. Brad Pitt stars as Jack Conrad, the biggest star of the silent screen, Margot Robbie as Nellie LaRoy, a self proclaimed star forging her way to the top and Diego Calva as Manuel "Manny" Torres, a Mexican immigrant and aspiring filmmaker. The three leads are all terrific.

      Mr. Chazelle opens the film with a Hollywood party filled with total decadence. Drugs, excessive alcohol, sex, a sexual fetish we really don't need to see, and even an elephant (unfortunately with loose bowels). He obviously wants to expose the underbelly of the glamour of Hollywood in those days with all its excess. And for three hours, we see it all, the trajectory of the three leads against a background of both glitz and mud.

        We get treated to the world behind the camera to watch how the early films were made in many terrific sequences. When the "talkies" finally arrive, we watch as studios try to understand the new medium and one scene in particular with Nellie trying take after take to get it right is priceless. We watch Jack Conrad's star begin to fade as he copes with the "new Hollywood" and Mr. Pitt's acting intensifies as Jack's world starts to crack. We see Manny successfully rise through the system, but a toxic love continues to hold him back.

       The film costars Jean Smart as Elinor St. John, the leading Hollywood gossip journalist, Li Jun Li as Lady Fay Zhu, a cabaret singer and title card writer, Jovan Adepo as Sidney Palmer, a Jazz trumpet player, Lukas Haas as George Munn, a producer and Jack's best friend. Also, co-starring is Spike Jonze, Flea, Jeff Garlin, Olivia Wilde, Eric Roberts, Katherine Waterston, Samara Weaving, Max Minghella and Toby Maquire (a criminal who leads Manny into LA's version of Dante's inferno).

        There is a wonderful sequence towards the end, that takes us through a montage of movies through the years as Mr. Chazelle closes his love letter, reminding us of the magic of movies but sometimes at a heavy cost.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

       Writer/director Rian Johnson brings his master detective Benoit Blanc back for another case is this lighthearted romp. If you are looking for light entertainment, this will fit the bill but if you like your films (especially murder mysteries) with a little more weight, you'll be disappointed with this onion.

        Mr. Johnson brings his all-star cast together inside a literal glass onion to solve a murder that reveals itself as figurative layers of the onion are peeled way. Besides Daniel Craig, returning as Detective Blanc (with an awfully weird southern accent), the cast includes Edward Norton as billionaire, Miles Bron, Janelle Monae, Kathyrn Hahn, Leslie Odum Jr., Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, and Noah Segan. 

       The film takes its time establishing an actual murder mystery but gives the cast ample time to chew the scenery. With the exception of Ms. Monae, everyone is quite over the top and intentionally (hopefully) annoying. The last act relies completely on an old murder mystery device to twist the plot and much too much time is taken breaking glass sculptures for no particular reason. Mr. Johnson also throws in a senseless "Red Herring". We are forced to endure a rewind of the whole story, late in the film, told from a particular character's point of view to fill in pieces that are deliberately withheld the first time around.

       Much of the film reminded me of the HBO show, "The White Lotus" minus the detective.  It's a bunch of annoying characters behaving badly but "Lotus" has  much better writing. "Glass Onion" is superficial fun but take the time to peel it apart and you will find it rotting at the core.

Women Talking

     In an unnamed geography and time, a group of women living in a Mennonite colony discover a horrible truth. After one of the colony's men is caught assaulting one of the women after being drugged, they realize they have been assaulted and raped for years by men in their colony. What they were told was hysteria, the work of the devil, or a lack of faith, is suddenly very real.

      Written and directed by Sarah Polly, the film picks up right after the latest assailant is arrested and taken to jail. The men of the colony go as a group to post bail and support the man while the women have twenty-four hours to decide what to do now that they know the truth. After all the women take a vote, a smaller group is left to decide between three choices, do nothing, stay and fight or leave the colony forever.

       Ms. Polly weaves her camera around the women as they discuss their options. Her dialog is sensitive and honest. She shows the assaults in flashbacks with only quick flashes of their aftermath. The group is divided as they argue the pros and cons of their choices. Only one man (played with sincere sympathy by Ben Whishaw) remains to take the minutes of their meeting. Rooney Mara, Jessie Buckley, Claire Foy and Judith Ivy are the most vocal of the group and all give powerful performances.  Also starring is Frances McDormand who speaks volumes with her silence. Making up part of the group are Sheila McCarthy, Michele McLeod, and Kate Hallett.

       Most of the action takes place in the hayloft where the women meet but Ms. Polly opens things up with scenes of children playing in the fields, innocents unaware of what lurks in the underbelly of the colony. Its a powerful and absorbing film that will certainly spark debate.

Tar

 

    

      Written and directed by Todd Field, this new drama tracks the trajectory of a brilliant musical composer and conductor played by the brilliant Cate Blanchett. Ms. Blanchett is a marvel in one of the best roles of her career.

  

       As the film opens Lydia Tar is at the top of her profession. She is the first female conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic and preparing to record a live concert of Mahler's 5^th Symphony. We see her go about her days in a series of edited scenes, almost like individual vignettes, working with students, visiting her family, preparing for the concert, and taking a new cellist under her wing (with possible ulterior motives).  

       On the surface, Tar, while incredibly driven, seems a likeable character but we quickly discover her true self. She is arrogant, manipulative, and condescending to those around her, especially her often put-upon assistant, Francesca, played by Noemie Merlant. She thrives on transactional relationships, even with her wife and daughter.

      The film co-stars Nina Hoss as Sharon, Tar's wife, Julian Glover as Andris Davis, Mark Strong as Eliot Kaplan and Sophie Kauer as Olga Metkina, the gifted young cellist. How power corrupts is a central theme to this intense character study of a brilliant yet flawed individual and Ms. Blanchett is note perfect in an extraordinary performance.

Avatar: The Way of Water

      If there is one thing director James Cameron knows, it's how to film epic films in water.  After a thirteen-year drought, he has come roaring back with the first of multiple

sequels to Avatar. The new film has a three hour plus running time and much of it takes place in and around water. The time flies by though as we are treated to mind blowing visuals (especially in IMAX 3D, which is the best way to see this film) and considerable action.

     Returning to Pandora are Sam Worthington as Jake Sully and Zoe Saldana as Neytiri. Since the new film takes place years later, they now have a family of 2 sons, Neteyam and Lo'ak, an eight-year-old daughter, Tuk and an adopted teen daughter, Kiri. Sigourney Weaver, a human in the first film, is the voice of Kiri. Also living with them is "Spider", a human boy born on Pandora. They live peacefully in the forest, until, of course, humans come back to threaten their existence.

     The threatening humans are back to colonize Pandora for their own and leading the military ground forces is General Ardmore, played by Edie Falco (an interesting casting choice). The main villain, however, is once again Major Miles Quaritch played Stephen Lang, who, yes, died in the first film but has been resurrected as a recombinant avatar, embedded with Quaritch's memories. He is bigger, stronger and scarier.

     When Quaritch and his recombinant troops invade the forest, the Sully family is forced to leave and end up in an entirely different region of Pandora, taking refuge among the Metkayina reef people. Leading the Metkayina are Cliff Curtis and Kate Winslet. It's a fairly simple plot. Jake and his family learn to live with the reef clan and Quaritch wants him dead.

     The personality of the actors shines through the motion capture, makeup and special effects. Much of it is brand new technology that is remarkable. Seen in IMAX 3D, the film is an immersive experience.  The sights and sounds of the film are incredible. In addition to the beauty of Pandora's fauna and flora, the action scenes are thrilling. Mr. Cameron and his writing partners amp up the final battle to a new level of intensity. Of course, you have to buy into the science fiction element of the entire story and if you do, you will be greatly rewarded.