Andrew Scott plays Adam in Andrew Haigh’s “All of Us Strangers,” a lonely, quiet man who lives in a London apartment where he is one of the few tenants.

Adam meets seemingly the only other person staying at the apartment. Harry (Paul Mescal) is flirtatious but also expresses to Adam how equally isolated he feels. The two become a couple, though Adam waits a while before he drops a mind-blowing secret on Harry.

“All of Us Strangers” is best seen without knowledge of the plot, narrative hints from a trailer or even a synopsis that compartmentalizes its many surprises. Here is an original and surprising drama that takes it time to tell a story of how our past isn’t just a collection of memories but a physical place.

Watch with caution:

Writer/director Haigh gently applies a science fiction angle, though how literally we’re supposed to take it is debatable. Perhaps it’s strictly a journey of the mind, akin to Richard Matheson’s “Somewhere in Time” (1980).

There’s a scene here of a character saying goodbye to figures from his past that is especially moving. It reminded me of the heartbreaking bit in “Somewhere in Time,” where Christopher Reeve finds time pulling him away from Jane Seymour.

It may read like an odd pairing, but both films have a just-go-with-it approach to sci-fi. Each provides a heartfelt meditation on how love and longing don’t only exist in one universe.

There’s a genuine, unforced sweetness to the film, akin to Harry’s unhurried, growing attraction to Adam.

It may seem odd to say about a film where the characters are grownups, but this is one of the best films I’ve ever seen about the dynamic between kids and their parents. The performances by Jamie Bell and especially Claire Foy are so touching and layered; we understand why Adam loves his folks so much.

Scenes of Harry and Adam hitting up a nightclub are tedious, if only because we’ve seen it too many times – I’m finally getting tired of scenes of strobe-lit nightclubs with thumping beats, glowing ceilings, casual inebriation and dancing that look more like an angry sock hop.

Michael Mann’s “Collateral” (2004) and Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan” (2010) are the last times I found these sorts of scenes arresting.

“All of Us Strangers” is like the great “Twilight Zone” episode called “Walking Distance,” about a man who walks through his old childhood home and the town he grew up in, only to be confronted with his younger self.

The final twist may be one Shyamalan pivot too many for some, though the story plays fair upon reflection and it doesn’t alter the film’s tone or grand design as much as make you ponder how far the story can go. It also enhances where Harry and Adam stand moving forward, which makes it worthwhile.

‘A generation of queer people are grieving for the childhood they never had’: Andrew Haigh on All of Us Strangers https://t.co/KrkXb6b7GI

— Candice Frederick (@ReelTalker) December 29, 2023

For a director who isn’t overly demonstrative, Haigh finds some beautiful imagery to sprinkle through the film.

I liked Haigh’s prior films “Weekend” and “45 Years” a lot, not just because he’s a storyteller who emphasizes character and has a gentle touch to his narratives but, above all else, he clearly loves his characters.

The same goes for “All of Us Strangers.”

I appreciate the way Haigh establishes and explores his most far-out concept, but it’s the emotional journey of his characters that resonates the most.

Three Stars

The post The Less You Know About ‘All of Us Strangers,’ the Better appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Michael Mann’s “Ferrari” begins with the buzz of race cars and tires spinning, as black and white newsreel footage captures a wild race in which the winner, Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver), can’t help but smile as he speeds past the finish line.

It is one of the few times in the film where we see Ferrari smile.

The story picks up decades later in Italy in 1957, as Ferrari now sports white hair and begins the routine of a new day: sneaking out of the home of Lina, his mistress (Shailene Woodley), checking in with his barber for a morning shave, conversing with his bitterly jealous wife, Laura (Penelope Cruz), visiting the grave of his late son, Dino, and checking his watch.

News arrives that Maserati’s team has arrived and will compete against Ferrari’s crew in a cross-country race that begins at night and spans hundreds of miles.

‘Ferrari’: Michael Mann Discusses The Long Journey To His Latest Drama, ‘Heat 2,’ Marvel Movies & More [The Discourse Podcast] https://t.co/MRXvhdnqsl pic.twitter.com/o4L0676ZDY

— The Playlist (@ThePlaylistNews) December 27, 2023

Ferrari is constantly staring at his watch – time and timing is everything. People are constantly dying around him- in addition to his Dino, who died of muscular dystrophy, Ferrari’s racers are sometimes victims of random occurrences, such as a gear shift malfunction or a mere protrusion in the road that leads to catastrophe.

As Ferrari instructs his team, “Two objects cannot occupy the same point in space at the same moment in time.” He’s talking about his approach to racing as much as his private life.

“Ferrari’ is a brooding, exciting epic. Enzo is an ideal pick for a protagonist of a Mann film, as “Ferrari” is entirely in line with the master filmmaker’s body of work: Enzo is a man possessed, allowing forward motion, discipline and a clear focus to keep him from slowing down.

Like Neil McCauley in “Heat” (1995), Will Graham in “Manhunter” (1986) and Vincent in “Collateral” (2004), Ferrari is a man of precision, who excels at his profession by sacrificing his personal life.

While Mann avoids a close examination of Ferrari’s interior life, note the moving opera sequence (yes, shades of “The Godfather”): while the main characters all watch and listen to the same opera, we see flashbacks of how they have all been affected by their fathers in varying ways.

Also, listen to the sound design, as we hear the vocals fill the opera house and, when we’re in for a tight shot of the singers, the sound is intimate and close. There is a level of film technique in all of Mann’s films that puts him on a master’s level of artistry.

Few directors are working at his level of film craft and storytelling.

Driver is playing Enzo as a no-nonsense creature of habit, both the villain and hero of his story. In a film career that is currently a mere 12 years old, Driver has worked with Clint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg, the Coen brothers, Jim Jarmusch, Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, Ridley Scott and Terry Gilliam, to name a few. Once again, Driver is perfectly matched with his director.

Cruz’s fierce performance is a true wonder, as she makes her character entirely sympathetic but almost frightening in her rage and distrust. Driver is the star but it’s Cruz’s movie – Laura is the only force on Earth that can match the controlled chaos of her husband.

RELATED: ‘THE KEEP’ REMAINS MANN’S FASCINATING MISFIRE

Note how, in their first scene together, she casually tries to murder him. Later, consider the sad bitterness in her eyes when she tells her husband, “I find myself sharing my whole life with a woman I’ve never met.”

Patrick Dempsey, sporting an awesome head of white hair, has a supporting role as racer Piero Taruffi. Although Dempsey’s role is small, he makes an impression and is even listed in the end credits as one of the stunt drivers(!).

Although “Ferrari” is set in Italy with Italian characters, most of the cast is not Italian. It’s the most flawed thing about it, as some of the actors do a sensational job (Driver has a stylish affectation that is a joy to listen to), while others struggle and are sometimes hard to understand.

This is a very old-fashioned Hollywood trope (remember how everyone in “The Ten Commandments” spoke with a regal, vaguely British accent?), though at least this never devolves into the delicious camp of Ridley Scott’s “House of Gucci.”

“Ferrari” is always compelling, whether depicting the roaring drama on the racetrack or the title character’s messy domestic life – being a father to the child of his mistress, while his wife mourns the death of Dino.

Mann’s staging of even simple scenes has an artist’s precision. The frame is always filled with beauty, whether we’re looking at an Italian countryside or two people in a room talking about finances.

Mann hasn’t made an apology or a celebration of Enzo Ferrari but something in between – we share Mann’s fascination with him. In the end, “Ferrari” is about the anguish of feeling like a failure as a parent, as Enzo couldn’t save Dino and is a father figure to drivers who put themselves in great danger for him.

In the end, Ferrari’s efforts to be a father to Piero, the son he shares with Lina, will be among his greatest accomplishments.

Seeing this twice is essential, as the first time is about keeping up with the film, while a second viewing makes the dramatic weight, importance of the characters and connecting plot points even clearer.

This is the best film of 2023.

Four Stars

The post ‘Ferrari’ Races to First Place in Best of 2023 Competition appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

George Clooney’s “The Boys in the Boat” is a true story featuring a “Saving Private Ryan”-like flashback of an old man informing a young whippersnapper how he was once a member of a world-famous rowing team.

This narrative bookend is such a lame duck that most will forget it exists or, perhaps, will half-expect the old guy’s face to morph into Matt Damon. It’s the first touch here that is well-intentioned but, like most everything else here, doesn’t connect.

Callum Turner stars as Joe Rantz, a University of Washington student in 1936 who becomes a member of his school’s rowing team. Rantz initially joined because he was broke and overheard that the team members were being paid.

After throwing himself into rigorous training sessions, Rantz is under the careful watch of Al Ulbrickson (Joel Edgerton), his no-nonsense coach who sees his potential but also recognizes the inner turmoil in Rantz.

Despite being “based on the incredible true story” (as the poster touts) and a 2013 book by Daniel James Brown, none of this feels real. It always seems like the feel-good sports movie that it is.

From the glossy cinematography to the busy period art direction, to Edgerton’s motivational speeches, it’s all very clockwork.

Not helping is that there’s no fire in either Edgerton or Turner’s performance. Rantz has a romance with a Gretchen Moll lookalike (Hadley Robinson), and this never amounts to much. While Rantz has a great deal of emotional baggage he must overcome to become a better rower, I never detected any tension.

Edgerton can be a dynamic actor but he’s restrained here. None of the other actors step up and take hold of this thing.

What happened to Clooney’s directing career?

Clooney’s debut behind the camera was the intriguing but not entirely there “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” (2003) but his follow up, “Good Night and Good Luck” (2005), was a knockout.

That George Strathairn-led drama, about the career of Edward R. Murrow, was shot in black and white, has a startling use of use of image and sound, and is something of a masterpiece.

It felt like Clooney was about to become a major filmmaker…then “Leatherheads” (2008), “The Ides of March” (2011), “The Monuments Men” (2014) and “Suburbicon” (2017) happened.

I actually liked Clooney’s melancholy sci-fi tale “The Midnight Sky” (2020), even with its Shyamalan-like twist, and wish he hadn’t followed it up with “The Tender Bar” (2021), another entry in Clooney’s body of work that is respectable, well made and instantly forgettable.

Add “The Boys in the Boat” to that list.

RELATED: CRITIC CONFESSION: HARASSING GEORGE CLOONEY

Whereas “Good Night and Good Luck” (and, to a lesser extent, “The Midnight Sky”) has distinction and intelligence in its filmmaking, the others greatly fall short.

Despite being unimpressed with his latest film, I’m a fan of Clooney’s work in front of the camera, particularly “The Descendants” (2011), “Solaris” (2002), “Up in the Air” (2009) and “O Brother Where Art Thou” (2000).

His choices as an actor are wildly inconsistent: for every “Gravity” (2011) and “Burn After Reading” (2008), there’s a “Ticket to Paradise” (2022) and “Money Monster” (2016) around the corner.

It figures that the man who will be fondly remembered for embodying Danny Ocean and the Fantastic Mr. Fox was also, without argument, the most infamous Batman in cinema. What I’m saying is that, while I’m a fan, Clooney’s film choices remain inconsistent and his latest is further proof of that.

“The Boys in the Boat” is exactly the kind of movie I will recommend to my mom and in-laws for Christmas. Why? It’s so Hallmark/Lifetime channel-ready, so thoroughly inoffensive, such prepackaged comfort food, it will appeal to anyone who found “Cool Runnings” too gritty (though even that movie has an unpredictable ending and scenes and performances I still remember).

At least Clooney found a way to make the rowing scenes visually interesting, even suspenseful, but you can’t make an entire movie out of that. The rest is dealing with the men in school, contemplating their future, talking in mild tones about women, their careers, and their futures.

We’ve seen all this before, done far better. This movie is toothless. Call it Dead Boats Society.

One and a half stars

The post ‘Boys in the Boat’ Is Everything You Expect (But Somehow Less) appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Eli Roth’s “Thanksgiving” is an extension of his gloriously lurid fake trailer within “Grindhouse” (2007), in which Roth took a benign holiday and gave it the “Friday the 13th” treatment.

Running two minutes but packing roughly a dozen Thanksgiving-themed murders, it was as funny as it was gleefully disreputable. It might have been the best work ever from Roth, then coming off the surprise hits of “Cabin Fever” (2003) and “Hostel” (2005).

Now, after 20 years of hit-and-miss projects, like the mainstream “The House with a Clock in its Walls” (2018) and the interesting failures of “Death Wish” (2018) and “Knock Knock” (2016), Roth has circled back to “Grindhouse.”

He turned his funny, nasty short into a full-length, gobble-gobble gore fest.

The plot: Taking place in Massachusetts during the night of Thanksgiving, a Black Friday sale goes out of control and results in multiple casualties (apparently, everyone wanted that free waffle iron).

A year later, bodies start piling up as a masked killer eliminates the high schoolers who were present at the sale and are visible in a viral YouTube video that captured the event.

Landing somewhere between a prime guilty pleasure and a slasher sleeper, “Thanksgiving” is amusing, depraved and often hilarious. Imagine a “South Park” take on teen horror films, with venom pointed in the direction of dumb millennials who point their camera phones towards tragedy and reap the glory of “likes” and followers.

Just when you think the film is settling down into formula and becoming safe, Roth unleashes another jaw-dropping sequence that pushes the R-rating a lot further than most mainstream horror films.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Roth and co-screenwriter Jeff Rendell get a lot of narrative mileage by making this a mystery/thriller that happens to have a violent sense of humor. In the best way, this is a lot closer to “Happy Birthday to Me” (1981) than this year’s limp wristed “Scream VI.”

The original “Thanksgiving” trailer was made to look cheap, weathered and heavy on sexism. Those factors are entirely gone from the adaptation.

The film’s glossy look, elaborate effects and stunts and lack of teen exploitation make this nothing like the stuck-in-the-1980s vision the trailer offered.

Instead, we have a razor-sharp satire of American consumerism (the crass, impressively staged opening set piece is riveting), a whodunit and ensemble teen horror movie that is intermittently jolted by Roth’s tendency to go farther than expected.

Roth hates his teen characters as much as we do – note how one of the most annoying of the bunch declares his need for a cell phone battery because, in his words, “How else am I going to text during the movie?”

As in many slasher films, I rooted for the killer to rid the world of these irritating cretins.

The best acting comes from the adults, starting with a great turn by Patrick Dempsey. The “Can’t Buy Me Love” alum brings a nerdy quality to his town sheriff. There’s also the scene-stealing Rick Hoffman, sporting an awesome mustache and Karen Cliche, whose third-act scene is arguably the most unforgettable.

Roth has made several films that aimed to be the sort of taboo-pushing, should-I-even-watch-this curiosity item one could find in a mom n’ pop video store. His prior horror films (namely the first two “Hostel” entries” and “The Green Inferno”) aimed to go “too far” and garner notoriety in an overly self-conscious manner.

Here, because “Thanksgiving” is beautifully shot and has the polish of a studio film, the horror hits much harder. It seems like Roth has already topped himself but clearly is just setting up another freak show shocker.

At press time, Roth has announced that a “Thanksgiving” sequel will be out by fall of 2025. I wish him well and suspect this film’s cult following will only enhance anticipation for the follow-up. Nevertheless, I wish he would quit while he was ahead.

Roth has seemingly covered his bases and given this everything he’s got (not to mention covered every Thanksgiving-related murder possible).

“Thanksgiving” toggles between being knowingly goofy and genuinely disturbing, somehow both amusingly campy, and actually horrifying, sometimes at the same moment. No matter you slice it, Roth has carved us a new holiday classic.

Three Stars

The post ‘Thanksgiving’ Slices Up a New Holiday Classic appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Takashi Yamazaki’s outstanding “Godzilla Minus One” has already arrived with a wave of critical acclaim and positive audience word of mouth.

I heard the movie was good but wasn’t prepared for how impactful and tough it is. I’ve loved these Toho kaiju movies all my life, but this feels like something altogether new.

Set in Japan near the end of World War II, a Kamikaze pilot named Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) has landed his plane on an airbase and revealed himself to his fellow soldiers as fearful of his assignment. Moments later, a large creature arises from the ocean and annihilates his camp.

Shikishima returns to his town, now in ruins, and discovers Noriko (Minami Hamabe). The meeting gives him a reason to keep pushing forward even as he’s crippled by shame.

The human characters in Godzilla movies typically function as exposition machines, talking about the fate of the world, how the weapon against the monster works and little else. Here, we have developed characters who are so interesting, that I would sometimes forget that scenes had gone by without a Godzilla sighting.

Only in the third act does the human story drag its feet to get to the grand finale.

A black & white version of ‘GODZILLA MINUS ONE’ has been announced.

Will release in Japanese theaters on January 12. pic.twitter.com/ZYKG9BEqYl

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) December 19, 2023

“Godzilla Minus One” is about survivor’s guilt, how war and devastation change us, causing some to react internally while others wear their scars and keep pushing forward. It’s also about how family units form in times of tragedy.

That’s a lot for any movie, let alone a Godzilla movie, though the original 1954 “Gojira” (before it was reshaped and added Raymond Burr to become “Godzilla, King of the Monsters!!”) and many of the finest entries in this nearly 70-year-old franchise address this directly.

Before “Godzilla Minus One” (the title is a reference to this being a prequel to the original), my favorite installments have been the glum, fantastic “Shin Godzilla” (2016), “The Return of Godzilla” (1984), the American “Godzilla” (2014) and “Godzilla 2000.”

The special effects in “Godzilla Minus One” are a knockout, and so is the scale of the production. An early set piece of a fishing boat being attacked by Godzilla is among the few examples of a sequence inspired by “Jaws” that actually deserves and earns the comparison.

A wrenching scene of loss is capped by the sight of Godzilla staring admiringly at a mushroom cloud he created – the creature design is awesome, but this might be the first time I wasn’t rooting for Godzilla.

I honestly hated him.

If the character is the embodiment of human error and our tendency to destroy one another through weapons of mass destruction and to turn to war to solve our problems, then he’s never been more so here.

RELATED: ‘GODZILLA vs. KONG’ – BEYOND BAD, EXCEPT …

The creature feature action astonishes, but here’s a welcome monster movie that recognizes that Godzilla is the villain. I liked the human characters so much, I worried for them. There have been interesting humans in these films before, but not like this.

Only a last-minute twist suggests a bit of unnecessary melodrama, though it’s still an emotionally satisfying capper. So is the use of the classic Akira Ikakube Godzilla theme music.

If you’ve never seen a Godzilla movie and never had any interest in them, then this is the one to see.

For everyone who loves these movies, “Godzilla Minus One” is so technically accomplished and heartbreaking, it feels like we’re seeing these movies for the first time. Here’s a sleeper that lives up to the hype.

Three and a Half Stars

The post Why ‘Godzilla Minus One’ Is Best Film in Decades-Old Franchise appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

The tragic tale of the Von Erich wrestling dynasty would make an impressive feature.

Tragedy. Resilience. Pain. Redemption.

Writer/director Sean Durkin, who delivered the mesmerizing “Martha Marcy May Marlene,” seemed perfectly suited to the task at hand.

His film, “The Iron Claw,” somehow whiffs on material perfectly suited for Oscar consideration. Yes, it’s handsomely presented with all the awards season bells and whistles. What’s missing? A script that digs beneath the harrowing surface.

A beefed-up Zac Efron plays Kevin Von Erich, son of a professional wrestler renowned for his “Iron Claw” attack. Kevin is a hit on the Texas wrestling circuit, and he’s about to have company. His brothers also wrestle, including Kerry Von Erich (Jeremy Allen White of “The Bear” fame) who dreams of representing his country in the upcoming Olympic Games.

Their wrestling careers go smoothly at first, with Durkin’s screenplay capturing their ascent with little nuance or grit. Yes, Papa Von Erick (Holt McCallany) is old-school to the bone, although Durkin resists any cheap “toxic masculinity” tirades.

Young Kevin craves the championship belt above all.

We’re deep into the story when the first tragedy strikes, pummeling the tight-knit family. The body blows have only begun.

It’s all surface-level anguish, story beats that sound compelling on paper but never distinguish themselves on screen. Was Durkin too emotionally tied to the real Von Erich saga to bring what the story desperately needed?

Zac Efron Wrestles With His Legacy: How the 'High School Musical' Alum Finally Found His Purpose With 'Iron Claw' https://t.co/5cgEt7dKwb

— Variety (@Variety) December 14, 2023

Efron certainly looks like a professional wrestler, his body fat M.I.A. and his tanned physique ring-worthy. He’s just not the kind of actor who can bring depth to a character like Kevin. His face lacks the subtle shadings that his peers bring to projects like this.

Efron captures the pain, and the resolute spirit, of his character without adding anything extra.

The rest of the extended Von Erich clan is similarly shorted. Poor Lily James offers a spark as Kevin’s future bride during their meet-cute introduction. She seeks him out after a wrestling match, gently coaxing him to ask her on a date.

It’s a rare moment that feels unrehearsed.

Sports movies often use the “big game” as emotional rocket fuel. Consider any “Rocky” installment for proof. It’s easy, effective and can frame character arcs in ways that even the best writing struggles to pull off.

“The Iron Claw” leans on its wrestling sequences, hard, to accentuate turning points in the characters’ lives. Except it’s all a fraud, a faux sport with pre-arranged resolutions.

It’s professional wrestling. ’nuff said.

Why would anyone, let alone a talented storyteller like Durkin, rely on the sport to push this story along?

The film wraps on dueling notes. A key character bemoans the collective tragedies that struck the family only to bounce back, on a dime, and rejoin a family gathering.

It’s a perfect metaphor for a film with tragedy built into its DNA without the nuance to explore what it all meant.

HiT or Miss: “The Iron Claw” may delight wrestling fans who lived through the story’s real-life beats. Everyone else will wonder why the heartbreak produced such a mundane biopic.

The post Why ‘The Iron Claw’ Gets Pinned by Its Potential appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

No one can top Gene Wilder’s performance in “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.”

Silly. Twisted. Funny. Bemused. Dark.

Johnny Depp came up short in 2005’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” also inspired by Roald Dahl’s beloved book.

Now, Timothée Chalamet plays the chocolatier in “Wonka,” a prequel with the good sense to not even try.

That, plus luring “Paddington” director Paul King to steer the ship, proved the best decisions behind the charming saga.

Chalamet plays a young Willy Wonka, eager to start his candy company in a big, unnamed city. His pure heart is no match for the crusty locals. Candy overlords don’t want the competition, and they sic the police on poor Willy.

Even worse?

A pair of scoundrels (Olivia Colman, Tom Davis) trick Willy into slaving away at their hotel (“Scrub, Scrub!”), threatening to derail the young man’s dreams for decades.

The wily young man will find a way, and it might include a few musical numbers.

Yes, “Wonka” is a musical, and while it won’t dislodge “The Greatest Showman” from anyone’s mind the songs are sweet and catchy. The choreography isn’t revelatory, but it perfectly suits the material and tone.

Chalamet’s voice is, well, adequate, and you’ll wish the filmmakers plucked a lesser-known star with an instrument worthy of the franchise.

Oh, well. That’s show biz!

Chalamet’s dramatic chops prove superior, even if you can sense how hard he’s working to conjure Willy’s whimsical nature.

The film’s villains are oversized and appropriately vile. Keegan-Michael Key scores a few chuckles as a cop addicted to sugary treats. Cue the outrage over his fat costume…

“Wonka’s” secret weapon is Hugh Grant as, wait for it, an Oompa Loompa. The CGI required to make Grant Loompa-sized is seamless and leaves us with a crooked grin on our faces.

Grant can do no wrong these days, and he deserves more screen time.

Chalamet’s Wonka bears a heavy burden despite his cheery exterior. He misses his sweet Mum (Sally Hawkins) who taught him everything he knows about chocolate making. The subplot adds some grit to the story, suggesting the Wonka antihero we’ll meet in Wilder’s 1971 films.

Otherwise, there’s little connective tissue from this Wonka to the real cinematic deal. That doesn’t mean “Wonka” ignores the source material. You’ll hear some musical callbacks to the original film along with dialogue meant to fire up our nostalgia circuits.

“Strike that. Reverse it.”

Cute. Much like “Wonka.”

HiT or Miss: “Wonka” is a welcome surprise, a prequel that neither taints the source material nor leaves audience unsatisfied.

The post ‘Wonka’ Ignores Gene Wilder, Crafts Spry Origin Story appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things” has a great deal of personality, marches boldly in unexpected directions and features imagery that I sometimes revisit in my daydreams.

It’s also an ugly, irritating work that wore me down early, all but daring me to walk out. In full disclosure, I’ve never walked out of a movie and wasn’t about to start with this one…but man, the inviting green glow of that EXIT door was awfully tempting.

Ostensibly a re-telling of Mary Shelly’s “Frankenstein,” Willem Dafoe plays a mad scientist who “creates” a young woman named Bella, whose brain…actually, I’ll leave the specifics for the audience to discover. The logic of how Bella is “reborn” is truly off-putting, less a provocation and more of a sick joke about how humans start and end their lives as infants.

Once Bella (Emma Stone) is loose in the world, taken under by a nasty, horny man about town named Duncan (Mark Ruffalo, fighting hard against the miscasting), she becomes sexually active, informed on matters of human misery and able to think independently.

This latter quality is what brings Duncan into a state of panic.

Like Lanthimos’ “The Lobster,” I wanted to embrace all this just-go-with-it weirdness and casual sadism but found everything too self-consciously artsy and grotesque. When Bella gets a job at a brothel, the film lingers on every single bedroom assignment.

It’s ugly and hardly the commentary on empowerment the film seems to think it is. Likewise, every scene where Dafoe vomits up a bubble that floats around his kitchen table – some may laugh at the whimsy of it, but I found it revolting.

That just about sums up my feelings for the film overall.

There’s also the music score, which sounds like out-of-tune instruments scraping against one another.

There are dreamlike environments here that are beautiful to behold, especially on the big screen. Stone appears as a grown woman on the outside but playing someone who we watch age mentally from infant to womanhood, which is impressive. Ruffalo makes the most of his comic opportunities, though his most memorable lines are look-at-me vulgar.

I admittedly was intrigued and riveted for the entirety of Lanthomis’ “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” (2017), though I doubt I’d ever sit through it again. Likewise, Lanthimos’ acclaimed “The Favourite” (2018).

RELATED: ‘POOR THINGS’ – A SECOND OPINION

I’m a big fan of the more surreal, challenging works of Luis Bunuel and David Lynch, but their films, even at their harshest moments, draw in me with character, exploratory filmmaking and ideas. With Lanthimos, I dig the ferocious approach to his artistry but am struggling to see past the self-consciously grotesque broad strokes and surface level brutality on display.

Perhaps I wasn’t up to the challenge Lanthimos presented me with, and, because I fixated on imagery and dialog I didn’t like, maybe I overlooked the humor and nuance.

Maybe, maybe not.

I love that a filmmaker as wild and risk-taking as Lanthimos has been given a large budget to make a movie this crazy, but it’s easy for me to admire “Poor Things.” Watching it is another thing entirely.

One and a Half Stars

The post ‘Poor Things’ Had This Critic Pining for the Exits appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Many movies drop us into a post-apocalyptic world without modern amenities.

“Leave the World Behind” wonders what it’s like at the start of the mayhem.

The thriller isn’t interested in big, bold action sequences or flashy effects. The focus is smaller, more contained on how two families process what could be an extended blackout or the end of America.

The story’s simplistic messaging can’t derail the intensity brought by three great performances, making the film’s ominous tone inescapable.

Amanda and Clay Sanford (Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke) rent a beach-side vacation home to escape from their day-to-day grind. She’s a burned-out executive while he’s a chipper college professor.

Their trip, featuring their two standard-issue teens, is interrupted in dramatic fashion.

First, an oil tanker crashes on the beach, forcing them to run for their lives. Later, the owners of the rental property show up in the middle of the night, fleeing a city-wide blackout.

Oh, and the Sandfords’ phones and iPads suddenly stop working. 

No WiFi? The horror, the horror.

Mahershala Ali and Myha’la Herrold play G.H. and Ruth, the affluent property owners who happen to be black. Amanda is instantly suspicious about them for reasons that aren’t fully explained.

Racism? A Mama Bear protecting her cubs? Plot expediency? All three?

The families must co-exist to not only stay safe but figure out what’s happening to their country. Is it a terrorist attack? Hackers gone wild? The dawn of World War III?

“Leave” isn’t eager to spill the details, which helps maintain the sense of dread. So does writer/director Sam Esmail’s camerawork. It’s showy at first, maneuvering around the vacation home like a real estate agent’s dream video.

Those clever angles keep us as off-balanced as the troubled families.

Much has been said about an exchange between Ruth and G.H. suggesting they shouldn’t trust the Sandfords because of their race.

Dear @Netflix:

In what world is this not considered racist?

"Leave the World Behind" produced, in part, by Barack and Michelle Obama.

“I’m asking for you to remember that if the world falls apart, trust should not be doled out easily to anyone, especially white people.”

— Catherine E. (@CatherineUSA1) December 11, 2023

There’s nothing wrong with the sequence. Ruth is clearly a Gen Z type with all the personality tics that entails. G.H. is a good father, someone willing to meet his adult daughter halfway in times of crisis.

And, yes, the pair have racist feelings toward white people. Should storytellers not include flaws in their characters?

Esmail tips his ideological hand with a few measured moments. Kevin Bacon’s character, a cruel survivalist, is repeatedly framed with an American flag in the background. We’re led to believe his selfishness reflects the country’s true spirit.

Amanda delivers a monologue about how much she hates her corporate job. It’s more revealing, though, about the storyteller’s vision of America as a capitalist state that poisons the soul.

There’s even a line the Rev. Jeremiah Wright might applaud. To paraphrase, America’s chickens are coming home to roost.

The movie’s critique of how we lose ourselves in technology and fluffy TV sitcoms isn’t original, but it does land as intended.

The messaging moments are often banal but fleeting, and we’re never taken out of the story or the characters’ plight. Credit Roberts, Ali and Hawke for making that possible. They’re equally brilliant, finding fresh layers in roles that could have been cartoonish in less capable hands.

Roberts and Ali share several outstanding scenes together, including an unexpected whiff of sexual chemistry.

Movies like “Leave the World Behind” rarely stick the landing. The setup is what counts, and it takes an exceptional scribe to pull all the strings together.

That doesn’t happen here despite a cheeky final shot.

The third act features a clumsy sequence involving Bacon’s conspiracy theorist and a poorly realized CGI moment involving wildlife.

“Leave the World Behind” isn’t a racial screed. Far from it. It’s a brilliantly assembled swipe at America, one where the characters have more than enough depth to make even patriots appreciate the artistry in play.

HiT or Miss: “Leave the World Behind” delivers a disorienting thriller powered by great performances and an unsettling premise.

The post ‘Leave the World Behind’ Hates America, Not White People appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

How many movies will be ruined by the filmmakers’ ideology before the woke fever breaks?

“Poor Things” teeters on that very edge, and it’s a shame given our quest for original storytelling.

Director Yorgos Lanthimos uncorks a wildly original Frankenstein re-imagining with a canvas unlike any we’ve seen before.

The film’s third act drowns in feminist messaging, turning one of the year’s creative triumphs into a maddening waste of time, resources and the remarkable Emma Stone.

Stone plays Bella Baxter, the fantastical creation of Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe), or “God” as Bella affectionately calls him. She’s a Frankenstein’s monster of sorts, stitcher together with a brain that’s anything but “Abbie-Normal.”

That noggin is young and vital, allowing Bella to evolve from a grunting Neanderthal into a droll soul with a penchant for philosophy. Her beauty allows her entry into polite society where she scorns every cultural norm and attracts the attention of Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo, over the top and loving it).

He’s smitten, no doubt, and she’s happy to use him for plenty of “jumping” — her term for wild intercourse. She’s not satisfied, though, and every time Duncan tries to tame Bella she fights back even harder.

Along the way, she teaches us all a lesson about the evil patriarchy and the quest for sex-positive empower—get the picture?

Modern storytellers don’t trust audiences to make the necessary connections. They lecture and finger wag, making sure there’s no one in the theater who misses the message on colorful display.

Not even the guy slinging popcorn.

The Future Is Female. Down with the Patriarchy. It’s like the Women’s March circa 2017-2020. And there’s little wrong with this brand of storytelling.

Films offer a powerful medium to make audiences ponder new or existing philosophies. Would anyone argue women were societally speaking, equal to men in the 19th century?

Of course not, and a film set in that era has every right to explore it. That’s precisely what “Poor Things “does for much of its running time. The story works on dual tracks. Bella’s unfiltered speech shows how much we self-censor in the company of others.

Duncan wants to keep her under his thumb, where she can neither thrive nor grow into the person she’s fully capable of being.

The screenplay all but shouts this long after we’ve processed the message on our own.

Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo gush over Emma Stone's performance in #PoorThings: "This is such a defining moment as an actor for her." https://t.co/hsmY5hz8FA pic.twitter.com/vcB3qe7ElU

— Variety (@Variety) December 4, 2023

Writer Tony McNamara and co. created a throwback yarn with anachronistic flashes that confuse and dazzle. The story is set in the late 1800s yet we see blimp-like vehicles dotting the sky like a blast from the future.

Even the dialogue sounds alternately archaic and modern, further pushing audiences out of our comfort zone.

It works. Mostly.

So do the scrumptious visuals, which start in serene black and white but flower into dazzling rainbow swatches.

Lanthimos’ lens uses every trick to warp and extend the frame, turning mundane shots into mesmerizing snippets meant to keep us off balance. No two scenes look alike, but they’re all united by a consistent vision.

“Poor Things” is a Frankenstein’s monster of styles and sounds that walks and talks with purpose. At times it even gallops.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Stone is spectacular in a showy performance that never wears out its welcome. She’s sexy and guarded, confused and certain. Yet her character arc feels trapped by the filmmakers’ vision. This isn’t a character evolving organically but someone living out an ideology.

The film finds Stone in various states of undress and committed to serial on-screen sex in ways we rarely see these days. The effect isn’t shocking, and it’s certainly not meant to be titillating.

It’s more TED Talk than R-rated romp, one suggesting women can sell their bodies without peddling off pieces of their souls.

Life suggests otherwise.

Yet “Poor Things” is chronically funny, from its odd collection of profanity or the visual gags that land with force. Few comedies bring merriment quite like Stone and her co-horts, yet the film’s waning moments leave a bitter aftertaste when we’re meant to feel empowered.

A third-act twist is initially rewarding, but it gives way to a resolution that’s nonsensical and cruel on several fronts.

Ramy Youssef plays the most emasculated male character in ages, yet we’re informed he’s meant to be a paragon of sorts.

Dafoe’s character could have helped unite the film’s disparate elements. Instead, he’s just another freak in the director’s carnival, his humanity stripped away just when we need it the most.

End of TED talk.

HiT or Miss: “Poor Things” is partly one of the year’s most powerful films and an example of how doctrinaire thinking can spoil the best cinematic trips.

The post Feminist Frankenstein: ‘Poor Things’ Packs Big Laughs, Bigger Messages appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Kristoffer Borgli’s “Dream Scenario” stars Nicolas Cage as Paul Matthews, a tenured college professor who speaks often of a book he hopes to write about ants.

Paul is a family man, a hopeless nerd and socially awkward. It’s to Paul’s great surprise when slowly begins to realize that everyone around him is having dreams in which he appears.

Writer/director Borgli begins his film on a strong note of surrealism, in which a flying dream is the first indication of the widespread phenomenon of Paul casually walking into a dreamscape. As the story progresses, Paul becomes instantly famous for being a figure in everyone’s dreams, though the dreams widely vary.

When the nature of the dreams turns dark, Paul’s sudden fame reverses itself, as people become afraid of the sight of him.

Cage is wonderful in this, changing his outward appearance and creating a portrait of a man who is well meaning, intelligent and foolish. I enjoyed Cage’s performance far more than the film overall.

While aiming for the high-wire surrealism and bonkers comedy of “Eternal Sunshine on the Spotless Mind” (2004) and “Being John Malkovich” (1999), this doesn’t reach the creative highs that Spike Jonze or Michel Gondry reached.

It’s more like the amusing but limited Paul Giamatti vehicle, “Cold Souls” (2009).

“Dream Scenario” skillfully establishes its high concept, then coasts on weirdness for most of the second act, demonstrating how much Cage’s character can be tortured for his strange ability. A sequence in which Cage visits an ad agency (featuring Michael Cera in a supporting role) goes on too long.

We finally get to a wild concept in the third act, which aims to tease self-righteous millennials and the tendency to commercialize anything that finds a collective audience.

Borgli’s film can be interpreted as a satire of what happens to people who are unfairly “cancelled” and how society treats those who are no longer deemed socially acceptable.

Perhaps it’s due to how unlikable Paul is or the overly droll tone, but the interesting ideas here aren’t enough to make it a great movie. By the final scene, which fully embraces a Talking Heads visual (and includes a great “True Stories” track over the end credits), I was fond of Cage’s creative investment but find this only slightly better than “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” (2022).

Doing “Dream Scenario” and “Renfield” in the same year (and, make no mistake, Cage is terrific in both) demonstrates Cage’s endorsement and engagement of offbeat material. “Dream Scenario” has its moments, but it’s mostly a downer and underwhelming, not reaching as far into the stratosphere as its lead actor is clearly willing to go.

Two and a Half Stars

The post ‘Dream Scenario’ Taunts Self-Righteous Millennials appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Todd Haynes’ “May December” stars Natalie Portman as Elizabeth Berry, an actress researching a role by meeting the subjects of the true-life story her new film is based on.

Berry meets Gracie (Julianne Moore) and her husband, Joe (Charles Melton), who are both living low-key lives in a small town to evade the intense media curiosity that plagued them years ago. Berry grows closer to them both and discovers dark secrets of their past, as Gracie and Joe haven’t fully escaped nor overcome the actions that defined their past.

“May December” was inspired by a hideous true-life crime story that I was unaware of until the film ended, and someone informed me that the details in the film are mostly accurate. I won’t reveal the specifics of the case (apparently, I missed a lot of TMZ episodes when this story took place and became media fodder) and try not to spoil the plot.

Haynes has made a film that isn’t really about the case (and thankfully, there are no reenactments – the R rating is mostly due to a single sex scene) but about the process an actor takes in researching a role. This approach makes the story limited as a thriller and something of a letdown at the end.

I expected a bigger finish and suspect audiences will, too.

What initially promises to be Haynes’ take on “Persona” (1966) is more reserved than that. The emphasis is on Berry’s perspective, which is inquisitive but fully in control, while Gracie and Joe seem to come undone by having their notorious secrets investigated and possibly exploited by a clever actress.

Perhaps this is as much about creating art as a reflection of tragedy as much as Hayne’s best film, the still unreleased and staggeringly brilliant “Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story” (1987). I had hoped for emotional fireworks on par with Hayne’s fantastic “Carol” (2015) and that never happens, despite some strikingly acted and shot moments between Moore and Portman.

The overall effect is muted, though a number of intense, cleverly filmed and unguarded character moments in the second act are what give the film its staying power. Maybe I wanted more from Haynes than a queasy, chilling, small-town variation on “The Hard Way” (1991).

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Haynes’ “Far From Heaven” (2002), which also starred Moore, was far better at presenting unabashed melodrama while exploring themes of identity, social status and whether anyone with a dark past can ever again be considered innocent in their environment.

Both admirably restrained and truly discomforting, “May December” will be remembered for how invested and spellbinding Moore and especially Portman are here. Haynes has yet to sell out and maintains his status as an indie maverick who can take any genre and make it personal and exploratory.

The use of mirror imagery, particularly how mirrors offer a doubling effect, is put to excellent use. Are we to trust the images that reflect us or the truth that we covet within us?

Haynes investigates this part of human nature, and his conclusions remain unsettling and worthwhile.

Three Stars

The post How ‘May December’ Is Both Muted and Worth Your Time appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Imagine being a conservative over the past decade.

You’ve watched the country transform into a woke “utopia,” where feelings trump facts and gender realities are kicked to the curb. Protesters decry words as “violence” while smashing public property. Educators treat children like pawns of their radical gender theories.

And, through it all, pop culture acts as if none of the above could be ridiculed.

Enter “Lady Ballers.”

Ostensibly a satire of trans women athletes, the DailyWire+ comedy pushes beyond that red-hot button issue. Oh, the film decries athletes like swimmer Lia Thomas for unfairly competing against biological women.

The film lets the conservative empire mock other progressive targets at every step. And it does so with smart gags, impeccable timing and an “amateur” cast that gets the job done.

Daily Wire co-CEO Jeremy Boreing directs himself as Coach Rob, a flailing single dad trying to recapture his glory days. He wants to make his adorable daughter proud, but he isn’t sure how to thrive in the new woke order.

Why not go with the progressive flow?

Coach Rob reassembles his college basketball squad and enters them in a Global Games competition. The catch? His male athletes will dress like women and compete against biological females.

They may be older and out of shape, but they’re more than a match for female competitors.

Boreing told Megyn Kelly even “canceled” actors wouldn’t go near the project, forcing him to step in as the main character. He’s no Steve Carell, but he handles the gig with aplomb.

And he brought some co-workers with him.

“Crain and Company” regulars Jake Crain, Blain Crain, and David Cone make up the bulk of the squad along with Daniel Considine as the hulking Alex. Scene stealer Tyler Fischer goes gender fluid without losing a whisker of his big, brown beard.

Watch @benshapiro and @JeremyDBoreing talk to @ClayTravis and @BuckSexton about the new @dailywireplus movie "Lady Ballers." It premieres tonight!https://t.co/xkLt2HCTB5

— The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show (@clayandbuck) December 1, 2023

“Lady Ballers” plays out like Boreing, who co-wrote the film with Nick Sheehan and Brian A. Hoffman, poured every cultural frustration they had into the screenplay. Their jokes almost always land.

Hard.

The targets? The WNBA. Soccer. Empty slogans like, “I feel seen.” And journalists. No project in recent memory tortures the Fourth Estate like “Lady Ballers.”

“I’m a journalist. I literally cannot be shamed,” says femme fatale Billie Rae Brandt as the schemer stringing Coach Rob and his team along.

Ouch.

A stellar bit has Coach Rob’s daughter mapping out all the new gender realities for her confused pappy, a visual depiction of the new woke order.

[Editor’s Note: This critic contributes to The Daily Wire]

The film doesn’t directly take on trans individuals. The focus is on trans women competing against biological women, the third rail of American culture. We’re told we must refer to such athletes as “beautiful and brave” … or else.

A late blooming subplot finds one of the athletes taking his shtick too seriously, but it’s one of the few story beats handled with restraint and empathy. Fischer, in comparison, taunts trans TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney by recreating a variation of his “days of being a girl” routine.

“Lady Ballers” makes some avoidable miscues. A flashback sequence de-ages Boreing with CGI, but the film’s small budget can’t complete with how Hollywood uses that tech gimmick today.

A few punch lines feel like thinly disguised talking points even the game cast can’t sell.

“Lady Ballers” is a who’s who of Daily Wire pundits, recruiting everyone from Brett Cooper to Michael Knowles for meaty cameos. Seeing the stoic Matt Walsh as a yoga-loving hippie is a sight gag that never gets old.

Boreing deserves credit for maintaining a consistent tone and quality given the cast’s varying levels of experience. What could have been Amateur Hour on Ice becomes a very funny satire that goes where 99.9 percent of comedians fear to tread.

Make that 99.998.

Rock-ribbed progressives won’t appreciate “Lady Ballers,” nor will they find satirical targets appropriate. It’s still the most subversive comedy in ages, a smart bomb that obliterates its intended target.

HiT or Miss: “Lady Ballers” jabs a satirical finger in the eye of the Woke Left. It’s about time.

The post ‘Lady Ballers’ Must Be Seen to Be Believed appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Faith-based movies no longer fit into a one-size-fits-all box.

This year’s “Nefarious,” a Christian horror film that didn’t skimp on chills, proved that once and for all.

“The Shift” marks another evolutionary step in the genre. It’s part spiritual journey, part dystopian sci-fi. At its best, the hybrid approach works wonders. It’s missing a sturdy sense of world-building, the kind that lets us let go of reality and get lost in an alternative realm.

“The Shift,” an imaginative spin on the Book of Job, stars Kristoffer Polaha as a sad-sack executive named Kevin. He bumps into the love of his life, Molly (Elizabeth Tabish), under clever circumstances.

They begin a life together in short order, except this isn’t a “Happily Ever After” affair. Complications ensue, testing both their faith and marital bond.

Kevin survives a brutal car accident, and when he wakes up he meets The Benefactor (Neal McDonough, terrific). The mysterious figure has the ability to “shift” reality, to tweak events in a very multiverse manner.

This isn’t the MCU, though.

“The Shift’s” version means a person’s actions can yield several realities. Some good. Some nightmarish.

The latter befalls Kevin after his run-in with The Benefactor. Can Kevin survive a dystopian version of America where masked stormtroopers keep the peace by any means necessary? Will new friends like Gabriel (Sean Astin) help him find a way back to his beloved Molly?

Writer/director Brock Heasley, expanding on his original 20-minute short film, gets plenty of mileage from a modest budget. His film employs a steampunk sensibility, and the screen is bathed in depressing shades of brown and blue.

Heasley has the right actor for the mission in Polaha, who resembles a younger Ryan Reynolds and flashes plenty of depth in a movie that demands nothing less.

The early sequences are meant to solidify the bond between Kevin and Molly, kept apart for much of the movie. It works beautifully, as does the film’s spiritual center. It’s not preachy, but it’s certainly more Christian-based than your average sci-fi yarn.

The narrative, by design, hops around early and often, and Heasley makes it easy to track most, if not all, of what’s happening at a given time. The world-building elements, though, feel incomplete for the task at hand. Perhaps a miniseries approach might have given the material enough time to breathe, to better establish the imposing stakes.

It’s also a mistake to keep The Benefactor off-screen for large passages of time. McDonough brings a coiled intensity to every role he plays, but he’s never been as foreboding as he is here.

More, please.

Another nagging issue circles back to Kevin. He’s a flawed man, we’re told early in the story. Yet his quest to reunite with Molly lacks those moral miscues. He might not do the right thing in his quest, but his indefatigable spirit drains some of the story’s dramatic potential.

“The Shift” delivers an original story replete with ambitious ideas. It can’t fully commit to them, but that doesn’t rob Kevin’s quest of its urgency.

HiT or Miss: “The Shift” boasts a killer turn by Neal McDonough and a fascinating premise. What’s missing? A sturdy enough framework to hold the fascinating pieces in place.

The post ‘The Shift’ Finds Faith in the Most Unexpected Places appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.