The Holdovers

 

        This new comedy/drama reunites Paul Giamatti with director Alexander Payne, their second film together after "Sideways". They are both at the top of their game.

        Mr. Giamatti plays Paul Hunham, a crusty, curmudgeon of an ancient history teacher at a private boys school.  During Christmas break, he is assigned to watch over a small group of boys that have to stay behind at the school for various reasons.

        With him over the break is the school's cafeteria manager, Mary, played by Da'Vine Joy Randolph, in her best role yet. His young charges are soon reduced to one troubled student, Angus Tully, played by newcomer Dominic Sessa.

         The film is set in 1970 and Mr. Payne goes to great lengths to get the period and look of the film right. From the retro opening MPAA rating and Focus Features logo, you already feel transported back in time. Most of the film takes place at the school with the exception of a few significant sojourns. 

          You may be reminded of "Dead Poets Society" but with that film, Robin Williams was a loveable teacher with an unorthodox method of reaching his students. Mr. Giamatti is a self proclaimed failure who drinks too much and knows that no one at the school, teachers or students, likes him. 

           Forced to spend two weeks together, Hunham, Mary and Angus, all broken souls for different reasons, forge an unusual bond that propels the story. The film is funny, heartbreaking and ultimately endearing with three terrific performances.

Killers of the Flower Moon

 

   Co-writer, producer and director Martin Scorsese has created a masterpiece. It is without a doubt an incredible work of film art and a towering achievement in an illustrious career.

    Working from the book by David Grann, Mr. Scorsese and his co-writer, Eric Roth tell the true story of  horrific crimes against the Osage people in 1920's Oklahoma. Oil was discovered on their land around that time and the Osage became some of the wealthiest people in the country. The land rights were passed down by generation from the Osage women and could eventually land in the hands of non-Osage relatives through marriage. Using this law, white men started marrying Osage women to share their wealth. During a multi-year period, many Osage were murdered for their land rights. This horrific crime is the basis of the film.

   To his credit, Mr. Scorsese met with current members of the Osage people to tell the story honestly from their perspective. He employed many Osage men and women, both as actors and as part of the crew. Already meticulously detailed, this lends an further air of authenticity and truth to the film. 

   Mr. Scorsese's direction is flawless on every level. The cinematography takes your breath away as do all the visuals. The costumes are amazing. From the Osage clothes to men's pajamas, just remarkably detailed. His actors fill the screen with many unrecognizable names but faces you will never forget. And speaking of actors, his three leads, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert DeNiro, and Lily Gladstone have all taken their craft to another level.

    This is the best acting Mr. DeNiro has done in years. For Mr. DiCaprio, it may be his finest role ever. Their scenes together are simply magic. Ms. Gladstone will break your heart with an incredible performance. Other familiar names include Jesse Plemons and in basically cameos, John Lithgow and Brendan Fraser. Mr. Scorsese makes an interesting choice to also employ many well known musicians in various roles. Jason Isbell has a key part as does Pete Yorn and if you look closely you will notice a few others. 

    Completed before his death, Robbie Robertson did the music for the film and the methodic beating rhythm underscores the growing tension of the story perfectly.

    There is some controversy regarding how Mr. Scorsese presents the film's epilog. Personally I had no problem with it and found it very original. The film runs long, three and a half hours but not one minute of film is wasted. It really should be seen on a big screen (IMAX if you can) but if the running time is an issue for you, it will be available on Apple + in a few weeks to watch at your leisure.

    This was a very dark period for the Osage and it was happening around the same time as the Tulsa riot, another stain in American history (which Mr. Scorsese briefly refers to). To bring this story to life in a dramatic and yet, entertaining way is such a credit to this master filmmaker. Expect to see double digit Oscar nominations.

    And as Robert DeNiro reminds us, "The front is the front and the back is the back". I loved that line.

    

       

She Came to Me

 

   Written and directed by Rebecca Miller, this new film can best be described as a romantic drama with comedic moments. You may go in expecting one thing but the film turns conventions on their head and comes out in the most unexpected ways.

    Peter Dinklage stars as Steven, an opera composer with writer's block. His wife Patricia, played by Anne Hathaway, tells him one day to take the dog for a long walk and clear his head. Once he meets Marisa Tomei's character, Katrina, he finds inspiration in the most unusual way. At the same time,  Patricia's teenage son, Julian, is unknowingly dating her cleaning woman's daughter which ends up causing trouble for both families. The circumstances that turn the plot are very original and clever.

    While all the actors are terrific, quirky doesn't even begin to describe their characters. Mr. Dinklage is a gem as the neurotic composer. Ms. Hathaway quietly may be the most quirky of all as the obsessive compulsive therapist who loves to clean. Ms. Tomei is outstanding in a very original role, as Katrina. The film co-stars Evan Ellison as Julian and Harlow Jane as his girlfriend Tereza. Joanna Kulig is Magdalena, the cleaning woman and Brian d'Arcy James is her husband, Trey (another very original character).

      While the framework is familiar, the story is fresh, filled with surprising yet endearing moments. And if you are a Bruce Springsteen fan, there is a new song featured over the end credits.

The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial

 

       Famed director William Friedkin's last film is a remake of the classic play and film. The story is updated to reference 911 and with a single set and solid cast, Mr. Friedkin does a great job with the material.

       Kiefer Sutherland stars as Lt. Commander Queeg, the captain of the USS Caine. With only two scenes, Mr. Sutherland is terrific, especially in his second appearance as he starts to unravel in the courtroom. Jake Lacy is Lieutenant Maryk who stands accused of the mutiny during a mission in a raging storm. Jason Clarke is Lieutenant Greenwald, Maryk's defense attorney, Monica Raymond plays the lead prosecutor, and in his final role, Lance Reddick plays a commanding presence as Captain Blakely, the head judge.

       While Mr. Sutherland makes the most of his two scenes, Jason Clarke steals the film defending Lt. Maryk. Set completely in the courtroom, this is a potboiler of a story with a surprising and powerful ending. The film is available on Showtime.

Fair Play

 

     Written and directed by Chloe Domont, this is a really fun and nasty piece of work about gender and office politics in the world of high finance.

     Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich star as Emily and Luke, two analysts at a major hedge fund. They live together and plan on getting married but are keeping their relationship secret at work since its against corporate policy. When one is promoted over the other it changes their dynamic at at the office as well as at home, and not for the better.

     Eddie Marsan plays Campbell plays the company's demanding CEO and Rich Somers plays Paul, his right hand man. Ms. Dynevor and Mr. Ehrenreich are dynamite together and figuratively blow up the film.    

     This is a great little feature about sex, power, and corporate greed. In limited theaters and on Netflix.

The Exorcist: Believer

 

      Co-written and directed by David Gordon Green, this new horror film attempts to take the story back to its roots, even bringing Ellen Burstyn back as Chris MacNeil, the mother in the original film.

      The film ups the ante on the original by having two girls possessed at the same time. Lidya Jewett plays Angela and Olivia O'Neill plays Katherine. The two young actress are put through the proverbial ringer as their possession gets stronger and stronger.

      Leslie Odom Jr. plays plays the lead as Angela's father Victor, who as be begins to believe the possession, reaches out to Chris MacNeill for help. Norbert Leo Butz plays Tony, Katherine's father and Ann Dowd plays Ann, a nurse with ties to the church. Ms. Burstyn's role is a gimmick that amounts to not much more than a cameo (although there is very clever scene with her at the end). It's a respectable cast of above average actors adding a distinct pedigree to a horror film than most. 

     The special effects are fairly good but the film fails to deliver real thrills and chills with only a minimum of good scares. It's still fun in a nostalgic way bringing back memories of the original (which was terrifying back in its day).  There are two sequels are planned which I assume will depend on the box office of "Believer".

    

The Creator

     

     Mixing elements of "District 9", "Terminator", "Ex Machina", "I Robot" and "Bladerunner", this is science fiction we've all seen before, but it's never been timelier.

     When a nuclear blast destroys Los Angeles in the near future, it sets off a war between humans and artificially intelligent robots. The United States outlaws AI and creates a flying fortress, USS NOMAD" to scour the earth looking for AI strongholds.

      John David Washington stars as Joshua Taylor, a soldier, undercover in the AI network looking for "The Creator" and the weapon it's built to destroy NOMAD. Mr. Washington brings a tremendous amount of humanity to his part and the film in general. Co-starring are Gemma Chan, Allison Janney (playing against type as a villain), Ken Watanabe, Sturgill Simpson, Ralph Ineson, Michael Esper, and Madeleine Yuna Voyles as Alpha-O (or Alphie for short).

      The film is co-written and directed by Gareth Edwards. Not only does Mr. Edwards borrow heavily from the aforementioned films, but he also relies on the recent ubiquitous trope of a hero protecting a child.  And while it's got the "been there, done that" feel, the film also manages to feel fresh mostly due to Mr. Washington's heartfelt performance and the stunning visual effects.

   A.I. is here to stay and only becoming more advanced. This film, like the others that have come before it, serves as a warning of what the future may really hold for humans and robots.

    

Reptile

 

       This new Netflix drama is a throwback to the slow burn, crime story that may remind you of the atmospheric feel of "True Detective" on HBO.

       What appears to be a simple, yet brutal murder of a real estate agent turns complex and frankly pretty convoluted but still worth your time if you are a fan of the genre.

        Benicio del Toro stars as Detective Tom Nichols and Alicia Silverstone plays his wife, Judy. Justin Timberlake also stars as Will Grady, a successful real estate agent whose girlfriend is the murder victim. The film also co-stars Eric Bogosian, Ato Essandoh, Domenick Lombardozzi, Michael Pitt, Sky Ferreira, Owen Teague, Mike Pniewski, and Francis Fisher. It's a great cast, not lacking for suspects. Mr. del Toro and Ms. Silverstone are both excellent and fun to watch as they bounce ideas and theories off each other to solve the case.

        The film takes it's time with the investigation, accompanied by a moody score. The plot gets tangled up in its own twists and turns, but Mr. del Toro's magnetic presence keeps you engaged.

Flora & Son

 

   

 Written and directed by John Carney (Once, Begin Again, Swing Street), this is another comic/drama that continues his streak of hits that showcase the power of music.

     Flora is a single mom living in Dublin with Max, her rebellious teenage son. Max acts out his anger issues with petty robberies and is always getting in trouble. Flora finds an old guitar, fixes it up and gives it to Max in hopes a new hobby will help. When Max refuses the guitar, Flora decides to take online lessons to learn to play herself. 

     Sounds simple enough but Flora gets more than she bargained for from her online teacher, Jeff and her discovery of Max's true passion. The story blossoms into something more complex, heartfelt and lyrical.

     Eve Hewson plays Flora, and her star keeps rising with each onscreen appearance. Here, she has top billing, and it is well deserved for both her acting and musical talent. (I guess it doesn't hurt that her dad is Bono, of U2). Jeff, her guitar teacher is played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Max is played by Oren Kinlan. Both are terrific. Jack Reynor plays Ian, Flora's Ex, and still an important figure in Max's life.

    As with all his films, Mr. Carney fills the story with great music and at least one memorable song. He always brings an honest and natural performance from his actors. The language in the film is a bit rough at times, (especially in one scene that didn't seem necessary) but realistic to the story. Dublin, itself, is a great backdrop,

     The film is in select theaters and also streaming on Apple TV+. 

     

It Lives Inside

    

    

      Another entry in the recent slate of horror movies,  "It Lives Inside" adds a new element to the tired "teens in danger" storyline. The main character is Sam, a teen girl of Indian origin who must face off against an evil Hindu spirit to protect her friends and family. In her suburban town, Sam denies her Indian origins to "blend in" at school and avoid being alienated. When she unwittingly unleashes the evil spirit possessing her friend Tamira, she must embrace her heritage to fight the demon. 

      Sam is played convincingly by Megan Suri and the rest of the cast includes Neeru Bajwa as her mother, Vik Sahay as her father, Gage Marsh as Russ, her love interest, and Betty Gabriel as Joyce Dixon, a teacher and friend.

      The film is written and directed by Bishal Dutta and while there are some genuine creepy moments, the horror tropes are pretty standard and lack any real scares. The editing is choppy at times, scenes jump from one to the next, seemingly unconnected. And while it is a horror movie, there are irrational elements to the plot that take you out of the film's reality.

      If the film does well, the ending, while definitive, does leave the door open for a sequel. Sadly, I'm still waiting for a new horror film that will send the popcorn flying out of my lap.

Dumb Money

 

 

     Based on a true story, this new film recounts the crazy story of how the "little guy" took on Wall Street Hedge Fund billionaires trading Game Stop shares. While the hedge funds were betting the Game Stop stock would fail, a group of small-time individual investors, following the advice of Keith Gill, kept buying up stock using a site called "WallStreetBets" a subredditt site managed by Robinhood.

     While he had a day job, Mr. Gill, in his spare time had his own internet site offering stock advice as "Roaring Kitty". He did a deep analysis of Game Stop and began watching the stock very closely buying up shares himself. As he gained more and more followers, the stock price began to rise and hedge fund investors looking to "short" the stock took huge losses.

     The film simplifies the story making it easy to follow even if you are stock market ignorant. I'm sure the real story is much more involved and complex, but director Criag Gillespie and writers Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo do a great job breaking it down to its core with humor and unexpected suspense.

     Paul Dano stars as Keith Gill, Shailene Woodley as Caroline, his wife, and Pete Davidson as Keith's brother, Kevin. Also starring as the Hedge fund billionaires are Vincent D'Onofrio as Steve Cohen, Nick Offerman as Kenneth Griffin, and Seth Rogan as Gabe Plotkin. Sebastian Stan and Rushi Kota play the owners of the Robinhood site that causes chaos when they shut down the trading. And while the film can't tell the story of every individual investor, America Ferrera, Anthony Ramos, Myha"la Herrold and Talis Ryder represent the "little guys" that at times, invested their life savings on the advice of "Roaring Kitty".

      The story is unbelievable but true, and the film version, which I'm sure has its fictional elements, is very entertaining. It would make a great double feature with "The Big Short".

A Haunting in Venice

       Directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh, this is the third film in the growing series of Hercule Poirot mysteries. Based on the Agatha Christie novel, "Hallowe'en Party", the setting is Venice for this whodunit with supernatural overtones.

      As with his other films in the series, Mr. Branagh surrounds himself with an all-star cast including Camille Cottin, Jamie Doran, Tina Fey, Kelly Reilly, Jude Hill, Riccardo Scamarcio and Michele Yeoh. Only Ms. Fey seems miscast, her performance too modern for a 1947 story.

      Her character sets things in motion when she invites Poirot to witness a seance in an attempt to discover the deception of the medium, played by Michele Yeoh. When a murder occurs during the evening, it is up to Poirot to solve the case.

      Venice itself becomes a character with gorgeous cinematography adding to the natural beauty of the city. Mr. Branagh's direction fills the story with creepy visuals, the camera swirling through dark halls, empty rooms, and hidden cellars while all the characters are locked in for the night as Poirot looks for motives and clues.

       The supernatural element may be suspect, but it's done well and adds to a darker tone than the previous films. If you enjoy the series, you will not be disappointed. If you are new to Ms. Christie's famous detective, you should find yourself, at a medium, mildly entertained.

       

The Nun 2

 

    The sequel to the surprise 2018 hit, "Nun 2" ups the terror by putting a boarding school of young girls in danger.

    Taissa Farmiga returns as Sister Irene, as does Jonas Bloquet as Maurice and of course, Bonnie Aarons as "The Nun". New additions to the cast include Storm Reid as Sister Debra, Anna Popplewell as Kate (the prerequisite young child in danger. I lost count how many times a character askes "where's Kate".) and Katelyn Rose Downey as Sophie, Kate's mom and a teacher at the school.

    A blink and you missed it horror scene from the first film justifies how the demon escaped to appear in the sequel. Director Michael Chaves creates a good sense of fear and tension in almost every scene. And many scenes reward with decent scares.

    If you are a fan, there is a mid-credit scene that ties the story to the rest of "The Conjuring" universe, technically making it the ninth film in the series.

The Equalizer 3

 

    Denzel Washington and director Antoine Fuqua return for a third go round in this action drama. This time the film takes place in a small town outside Naples Italy. Why Mr. Washington's character, Robert McCall is in Italy remains a mystery until very late in the film.

    The plot has a unique structure, starting with McCall having already killed a number of men and apparently captured by some unnamed Italian gangsters. From there it takes a fresh breath in the story until returning to what we've come to expect in these films.

    Mr. Washington spends a great deal of time sipping cappuccino and tea at his favorite cafe, enjoying life in Altamonte, recovering from a serious wound. The action sequences are sparse but when the happen, they are intense and very violent. It's a slow burn as McCall watches the town threatened by gangsters and deciding when and how to "equalize" the situation. Meanwhile, there is a subplot about terrorists and drugs that introduces Dakota Fanning's character Emma Collins, a CIA operative. The film also co-stars David Denman. Eugenio Mastrandrea, Sonia Ben Ammar, and Remo Girone.

     It's always fun to watch Mr. Washington play this character as he methodically goes about his violent business with a cool, calm demeanor.

      

Golda

    

        

     This biographical drama is a tour de force for Helen Mirren in the title role as Golda Meir. As with pretty much any film she is in, Ms. Mirren is remarkable and carries the weight of the film squarely on her shoulders.

     The timeline for the film is an account of Ms. Meir's leadership during the "Yom Kippur War" when Israel was attacked on all sides by Egypt and Syria. Directed by Guy Nattiv, the film is straightforward and fairly dry in its retelling of that terrible time in Israel's history.

     Co-starring are Camille Cotin as Lou Kadar, Ms. Meir's personal assistant, Rami Heuberger as Moshe Dayan, Ohad Knoller as Ariel Sharon, Lior Ashkenazi as David Elazar, and in a two-scene cameo, Liev Schreiber as Henry Kissinger. 

     Ms. Mirrin's makeup is remarkable, even in closeup. And how she survived chain smoking throughout the film is beyond me. There are countless shots of her smoking and filled ashtrays. It's enough to question your own health when you leave the theater.

           There is not much new here to learn if you are familiar with the facts but if you're not, it is certainly an important time in history to watch unfold with another great Helen Mirrin performance.

Gran Turismo

     

      Forget for a moment that this is a two hour and twenty minute commercial for a Sony Playstation video game and Nissan Motors. It's based on a true story and once we get past the video game opening sequences, it becomes a high action, intense and crowd pleasing racing film.

      I've never played the video game and knew nothing about the story but was intrigued by the "true story" aspect and the racing sequences in the trailer. Much to my surprise, not only did it not disappoint but I found myself completely engaged and at times, on the edge of my seat.

      Director Neill Blomkamp seamlessly blends CGI and actual racing to deliver a high octane story about a Gran Turismo video gamer who trains to becomes a real racing car driver. The script does add some drama, time- shifting some of the actual events to heighten the intensity of the story but any film "based on a true story" will always add elements to enhance the plot.

     The cast includes Archie Madekwe, a very engaging young actor as the gamer/driver Jann Mardenborough, David Harbour as Jack Salter, the ex-driver who mentors Jann, and Orlando Bloom as Danny Moore, a marketing executive at Nissan who comes up with the idea to train gamers as real drivers. Jann's parents are played by Geri Halliwell and Djimon Hounsou and Mr. Hounsou has some geniunely emotional moments with his son.

      IMAX was made for a film like this. Try to see it in a theater on the largest screen possible with a good sound system. I saw it in a theater with Dolby sound and it was amazing. And not for nothing, you have to love a film that makes Kenny G's music an important plot point.

The Last Voyage of The Demeter

 

    

      This underappreciated horror film was adapted from a chapter entitled, "The Captain's Log" found in Bram Stoker's original novel, "Dracula". It is a period horror film taking place entirely on the ship that carried Dracula from Romania to England.

      Even though, the title "last Voyage" predestines the film, it is still a scary joyride that takes pleasure in its shocks and gore. Director Andre Ovredal heightens the suspense and tension shooting in a claustrophobic setting, keeping views of Dracula to a minimum.  Bear McCreary's atmospheric score also pairs perfectly to build the permeating sense of dread.

      When the film starts, the ship is found wrecked off the coast of England with no survivors. We then flash back four weeks to the start of the voyage. The plot is simple. Once Dracula is loose on the ship, it's only a matter of time for who dies, when and how. It was a nice surprise, though, to discover some conventions are not followed.

      The film stars Cory Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham, David Dastmalchian, Woody Norman, and Javier Botet as Dracula. While there is obvious need for some CGI, Mr. Botet probably endured hours of make-up to play a real version of the famous vampire. And this version, Dracula is portrayed more like Nosferatu than Bela Lugosi.

      Unlike many of today's horror films (filled with teens as victims or just plain torture porn), this is a well done, throwback horror thriller that at times, actually had me on the edge of my seat.

      In other words, it doesn't suck.

Talk To Me

    

    

       This new Australian horror film has a new take on an old concept. Contacting the dead and becoming possessed has been the subject of many a horror film but this fresh take is unique and very creepy at times.

       When a group of teens use the severed hand of a medium to contact the dead by gripping the hand and saying, "talk to me" and "let me in", they become possessed.  They time the possession for ninety seconds and then break off contact with the hand. They all consider it a fun party game until something goes horribly wrong.

        Sophie Wilde stars as Mia, a teen with lots of emotional baggage and close ties to her friend, Jade, played by Alexandra Jensen and her younger brother, Riley, played by Joe Bird. Co-starring as Jade and Riley's mother is Miranda Otto. The stars and rest of the cast work hard to sell the possession concept. Ms. Wilde and Mr. Bird in particular are standouts.

        The film opens with a great first scene that promises chills to come. From there it takes its time building the story but there is a continuous creepy atmosphere throughout and a few good scary moments. And I found the ending to be an unexpected surprise.

Haunted Mansion

 

  Turning once again to one of its theme park attractions, Disney hopes to cash in on a film based on a popular ride. Unfortunately, this time, they have missed the mark. Billed as a supernatural comedy, the film is too dark for a family film and too juvenile for an adult audience.

   A strange mix of talent make up the cast. LaKeith Standfield stars as Ben Matthias, in his biggest commercial movie to date and as expected rises well above the material (Which isn't hard to do). Rosario Dawson also stars as Gabbie, a widowed mom who buys the mansion sight unseen for her and her precocious nine-year old, played by Chase W. Dixon (films like this must always have a precocious kid in danger). Rounding out the cast are Owen Wilson as Father Kent, a questionable priest, Tiffany Haddish as Harriet the psychic, Danny DeVito as Bruce, a college professor, Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota, and Jared Leto (or rather his voice) as Alistair Crump, the "Hatbox" ghost.  The writers have put most of their effort in creating Mr. LaKeith's character Ben. Aside from him, the rest of the characters are just poorly written and come off dull and more lifeless than the ghosts. 

   The special effects aren't that special, but they do include characters from the theme park attraction for fan recognition. As with the ride, these ghosts are just not that scary (except possibly for the Hatbox ghost) but rather viewer friendly so there is little suspense until the film's climax. There is also little comedy with any visual humor or jokes falling flat.

   If you can wait and have the streaming service, it shouldn't be very long before it's out of the theaters and on Disney Plus.

The Meg 2: The Trench

 

    If you were a fan of the original "The Meg" and are planning to see this, bring a box of crackers with you as it's pretty cheesy. The story is silly. The stereotype villains are template. The CGI goes from decent to terrible depending on the scene and why must all these types of films have a precocious teenager?

    Jason Statham stars once again as Jonas Taylor and while he is the film's saving grace, even he seems weary fending off giant CGI sharks. The film also stars Wu Jing, Shuya Sophia Cai, Page Kennedy, Serio Paris-Mencheta (so good on TV's "Snowfall"), Skyler Samuels, and Cliff Curtis. It's an intentionally international cast to boost sales in international markets.

   The story ups the ante from the first film. There are now three Megs, a giant octopus and some amphibious, carnivorous creatures that run amok in the last third of the film. When Mr. Statham literally jumps a shark; the film is even making fun at its own expense. I will say however, there are a few intense action sequences that just might keep you engaged.

    Again, fans of the original will want to see it and if you're really bored, after seeing the big three blockbusters, you could do worse than this silly, escapist summer "popcorn" movie. And don't be surprised if a third film doesn't surface in a year or two. You can't keep a good Meg down.