Ever After: A Cinderella Story

Movie Name: Ever After: A Cinderella Story
Year of Release: 1998
Director: Andy Tennant
Starring: Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, Dougray Scott, Megan Dodds, Melanie Lynskey, Timothy West, Patrick Godfrey, Judy Parfitt, Jeroen Krabbe, Lee Ingleby, Kate Lansbury, Walter Sparrow, Jeanne Moreau, Anna Maguire, Richard O'Brien, Peter Gunn
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Andy Tennant who prior to directing features had a long career in television, directing episodes for a series of TV shows including "The Wonder Years" and "Parker Lewis Can't Lose", firstly got a taste of middling success with "Fools Rush In", but his visibility increased substantially after the success of "Ever After". The narrative follows the adventures of Danielle de Barbarac during the French Renaissance. In the years since her father passed away, she has become a de facto chambermaid/servant to her stepmother, the Baroness Rodmilla, and her two daughters. One day while out and about she meets a young man, who turns out to be Prince Henry, who is attempting to flee the area in order to avoid an arranged marriage. Henry notices Danielle once again when she heads to the palace to buy back a family servant. He becomes so impressed with her passion he orders the man to be released. Henry's father, King Francis negotiates a deal with his son in the meantime: there's a masquerade ball to be held in a few days, upon which Henry will announce his engagement to the woman of his choosing by midnight, or marry the one they have chosen for him. Rodmilla accelerates her efforts of getting one of her daughters to become more visible to Henry, while he is secretly spending more and more time with Danielle. 

"Ever After: A Cinderella Story" much like its title implies, gets its inspiration from Charles Perrault's book "Histoires ou contes du temps passé" (which includes "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Cinderella", to name but a few), but adds a more modernist vibe courtesy of the screenplay by Susannah Grant, Andy Tennant, and Rick Parks. The film sadly doesn't have much substance to it, lacking the magical and delight that the original Walt Disney version originally rendered in its animated version from 1950 (directed by the team of Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson and Hamilton Luske). There's attempts at modernizing Danielle, by making her more humane and in touch with the plight of her employees (wouldn't you know, she's the original Norma Rae), and also by making her more tomboyish (a bit rough around the edges, means personality wise, you're that much more likely to be less judgmental or artificial). All these attempts at portraying the virtues of Danielle through a more modern prism, versus the not so friendly embodiment of selfishness and villainy from Rodmilla and her daughters, tries to slightly distance the narrative from the black or white aspects of these tales when it comes to defining characters' traits, while still retaining its core message intact. It would have been far more interesting if the narrative did attempt a more radical departure, by illustrating the challenges of women's roles during that time, as opposed to once again pitying them against each other. Even if the script is indeed superficial, it does provide Drew Barrymore and Anjelica Huston a few opportunities to shine and demonstrate what makes them always so watchable, even if the material doesn't do them enough justice. The rest of the cast is solid, particularly Melanie Lynskey, Judy Parfitt, and the magical Jeanne Moreau, who has a wonderful cameo in the film. The production team is equally solid, particularly the wonderful costumes authored by Jenny Beavan. It's watchable, but also forgettable, which seems to be an undercurrent with all the films from this director. 

The King of Comedy

Movie Name: The King of Comedy
Year of Release: 1982
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert DeNiro, Jerry Lewis, Diahnne Abbott, Sandra Bernhard, Ed Herlihy, Shelley Hack, Jay Julien, Harry J. Ufland, 
Genre: Comedy, Crime
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
Watch it on Hulu

Synopsis and Review

Following the critical success of "Raging Bull", director Martin Scorsese decided to do an inflection of genres, and swerved towards dark comedy. While the film didn't win over audiences at the time of its release (which would also be the case with "After Hours"), it has steadily since then gotten more praise and is now considered one of the best in the director's portfolio. The narrative focuses itself on Rupert Pupkin, a deluded stand-up comedian who has been trying to launch his career without much success. After "meeting" Jerry Langford, the host for a very popular talk show, he believes that he can have his big break on his show. He starts hounding the show mercilessly, asking for a spot on the show, which is constantly denied. When that doesn't work, he alongside a woman he's on a date with, invade Langford's home, only to be expelled by the apoplectic entertainer. Not knowing what else to do, Pupkin partners with Masha, another Langford stalker who has romantic infatuations towards the entertainer, and decide to kidnap the man. The ransom they ask for is for Rupert to be allowed to guest star on the show, while Masha spend some "alone time" with Langford. 

"King of Comedy" has taken a more visible stance for modern audiences since Todd Phillips copied many of the themes, aesthetic, and even tone of the film for his version of what eventually became "Joker", released in 2019 to much commercial success (critical was more so and so, while the sequel is best not even to be mentioned). Martin Scorsese as is habitual in his films, manages to imbue a rhythm to the film that makes the narrative feel vividly inhabited, as opposed to feel artificial or without authenticity. He perfectly captures the dynamics of the TV world, but also the culture of celebrity, which in the early 1980s was on its upward trajectory (nothing obviously compared with today's standards). He also illustrates, by lifting the veil behind the dazzle of TV, the edgier sides of its entertainers, individuals themselves with their egos, their frailties, and their less than perfect persona they portray for audiences. He mixes this vibe, with the introduction of a character as obsessive as "Taxi Driver"'s Travis Bickle, this time around with the self-deluded Rupert Pupkin. Pupkin is someone who essentially lives in a construct of reality he has built for himself, which at times parks itself in this world, but that for the most part has very intersections with it. His ambitions of grandeur, and the role Jerry is supposed to play in it, go beyond fantasy, they consume his entire life and drive his constant pursuit. He surrounds himself with people who are as devoid of common sense and a grounded reality as him. It's a perfect illustration for the times we currently live in, and the film features three pitch perfect central performances: Robert DeNiro, Jerry Lewis, and Sandra Bernhard. This trifecta of performers compliment each other wonderfully, and they bring to life these damaged individuals, each with very different challenges, in a way that never feels judgmental or less than authentic. The film could have benefited from a bit more dimension to the lead and some supporting characters, but its economy is also one of its strong qualities. The production team is impeccable, including Fred Schuler's cinematography, Boris Leven's production design, and Richard Bruno's costumes. It's a great film from a tremendously talented filmmaker. 

Clockwatchers

Movie Name: Clockwatchers
Year of Release: 1997
Director: Jill Sprecher
Starring: Toni Collette, Parker Posey, Lisa Kudrow, Alanna Ubach, Helen Fitzgerald, Stanley DeSantis, Jamie Kennedy, David James Elliott, Debra Jo Rupp, Kevin Cooney, Bob Balaban, Paul Dooley, Scott Mosenson, Joshua Malina, O-Lan Jones, Joe Chrest
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

"Clockwatchers" is the feature directorial debut of Jill Sprecher. It made the rounds of the Sundance Film Festival of 1997, where one of its stars, Parker Posey, also had Mark Waters' "The House of Yes" in competition. The film focuses its narrative on Iris, a shy young woman who takes a temp job with a credit company. She is soon befriended by another temp veteran, Margaret, who introduces her to Paula, an aspiring actress, and Jane, who is engaged to be married, both of whom are temping until their situations change. Margaret has hopes of becoming an assistant to one of the company's executives, but that soon fades to nothing when the gentleman in question dies of a heart attack. Margaret expects at least to get a good letter of recommendation out of all the temping she's done. In the meanwhile, office thefts have been occurring, with Margaret being one of the chief suspects. When Margaret proposes a one-day strike from work, the group agrees with that decision, but none of them follow through, resulting in Margaret being fired. Also as it turns out, she wasn't the office thief. As all of them go their separate ways, Iris has to portend with another colleague whom she witnesses stealing items from an executive's desk, and also her own notebook. Iris finally decides to take action.

Looking back on "Clockwatchers", this film feels very much like an indie release of the mid 90s. Not only because its cast is peppered with actresses who were the cream of the crop for Independent film of the 1990s, but also for its tone and rhythm. It's a feature where plot isn't necessarily the focal point of the narrative, but more the meeting point for these characters to interact and showcase a bit of their quirky traits. The four main actresses are cast to their strengths, with Toni Collette's Iris inheriting a bit of the shy demeanor that made the actress so well known in PJ Hogan's "Muriel's Wedding" (and even Douglas McGrath's "Emma"), while Parker Posey takes on the snarky and cynical Margaret (similarly to roles she had already taken on in Rory Kelly's "Sleep with Me", Hal Hartley's "Amateur" and her most recognizable role at the time, Daisy von Scherler Mayer's "Party Girl"). Lisa Kudrow who was then more well known for her run on "Friends", was also coming off Albert Brooks' "Mother", she got tasked with Paula, the aspiring and somewhat ditzy actress, whereas Alanna Ubach, who made a splash with the well received "Denise Calls Up" from Hal Salwen, got the role of Jane, who simply wanted to get married, and was a bit high strung on it. The film is more of a convergence of these characters, who sadly don't get much in terms of a compelling description, or motivation to speak of, however their interactions are nonetheless always peppered with an ease and charm, which makes them feel as lived in characters as they can be (considering how little we know of them). This narrative ploy is the best but also the most limiting aspect of the feature, which ultimately doesn't have much to itself. The cast is stupendous, but the production team is a bit subdued, and the film ultimately looks and feels very much like the time of its production and release. It's watchable for its very talented cast, but not necessarily very memorable. 

The Cloverfield Paradox

Movie Name: The Cloverfield Paradox
Year of Release: 2018
Director: Julius Onah
Starring: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, David Oyelowo, Daniel Bruhl, John Ortiz, Chris O'Dowd, Elizabeth Debicki, Zhang Ziyi, Roger Davies, Aksel Hennie, Clover Nee
Genre: Sci-Fi, Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

The Cloverfield franchise is now three films counting, with indication there's more to come. "The Cloverfield Paradox", which premiered in 2018, is the sophomore directorial endeavor for Julius Onah, who prior to this film had released a series of shorts, and "The Girl is in Trouble" as his feature directorial debut, which didn't fare very well. "The Cloverfield Paradox" takes place in 2028, and follows the adventures of an international team, located on a space station by the name of Cloverfield, who are attempting to test a particle accelerator in order to provide Earth with a source of infinite energy. There are groups on Earth who fear the accelerator will possibly open portals to parallel universes, which may turn out to be quite dangerous for Earth and its inhabitants. After years of unsuccessful attempts, the team apparently manages to create a stable beam, only for it to overload, eventually creating a power surge. Following these events the team notices that Eath has vanished and the gyroscope that is crucial for the station's navigation is missing. They soon also discover a woman named Mina Jensen who is within the walls of the station, fused with its wires. As more disturbing events keep occurring, the team eventually locates Earth, and realizes the accelerator was indeed activated, and that the station was transported to a parallel universe, where some of the team members are now different, as are some of the backstories for some of the crew members themselves. Ava Hamilton, the communications officer on the station tries to make sense of it all before everything gets out of control.

"The Cloverfield Paradox" had a rather colorful journey to the screen, with Paramount Pictures originally behind the production of the feature, until its budget spiraled quite a bit, upon which the feature got purchased and eventually released by Netflix. Upon its release the film received harsh reviews, mostly directed at its plot and its ties with the franchise originator. In reality the film isn't worthy of that lambasting, as it is a competent science fiction film, one that inherits influences from Ridley Scott's "Alien", Stanley Kubrick's seminal "2001: A Space Odyssey", and even Danny Boyle's "Sunshine", though it takes a detour into the territory of parallel universes, something that the Marvel Universe has made very popular. Director Julius Onah manages to create atmosphere and tension throughout the narrative, and in parallel illustrates in broad strokes the relationships between the crew members, with just a few of them being entitled to an actual view into their past, their motivations, and what ultimately haunts them. Sadly this more in-depth vision of the characters isn't shared by all of them, including the new crew member they add to their group, something that makes most of these characters rather forgettable, which in turn ends up being the sorest point of the feature. Some of the criticism directed at the film targeted how the creative team forced this feature to tie itself with the rest of the franchise, which is indeed an unexpected aspect of the film, but something that doesn't take away from the storytelling that Julius Onah and his team have crafted up until then. The cast is solid, with highlights going for the always fantastic David Oyelowo, Daniel Bruhl, Zhang Ziyi, Chris O'Dowd, Elizabeth Debicki, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw who ends up having the most central role. The production team is also solid, including Dan Mindel's cinematography, Bear McCreary's score, Colleen Atwood's costumes, and Amelia Brooke & Doug J. Meerdink's production design. Possibly not as impactful as Matt Reeves' first "Cloverfield" feature, this endeavor is nonetheless watchable and entertaining. 

Tomorrow Never Dies

Movie Name: Tomorrow Never Dies
Year of Release: 1997
Director: Roger Spottiswoode
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Michelle Yeoh, Judi Dench, Jonathan Pryce, Teri Hatcher, Ricky Jay, Joe Don Baker, Vincent Schiavelli, Gotz Otto, Samantha Bond, Desmond Llewelyn, Colin Salmon, Geoffrey Palmer, Julian Fellowes, Terence Rigby, Cecilie Thomsen, Nina Young
Genre: Action
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Following the immense success of "Goldeneye", the James Bond creative team was incensed to continue that success, and quickly reconvened with a new director in order to continue the adventures of the super spy, embodied by the newly appointed Pierce Brosnan. This time around James Bond gets involved in a scenario which includes a media magnate by the name of Elliot Carver, who is coincidentally married to one of his former lovers by the name of Paris, and who has made himself a figure of wealth and influence by owning a series of publishing outlets and broadcast stations. As it turns out, Carver is intent in provoking a war between China and the UK, broadcasting everything through his channels and reaping the audience numbers and money from the coverage of the whole ordeal. With that in mind he has some missiles he plans on deploying. Bond, with the help of Wai Lin, a Chinese State Security agent, they both manage to abort the firing one of the missiles directed at Beijing, but Wai Lin is captured in the process, forcing Bond to figure out a plan to rescue her and still deter Carver's plans. 

Roger Spottiswoode's career was not in the best of places in the mid 1990s when he chose to tackle "Tomorrow Never Dies". "Air America" didn't work at the box office nor with the critical responses, something that was made even worse with his next feature, "Stop! Or My Mom will Shoot", which was ridiculed, and not solely for its title. He got some redemption soon after with "And the Band Played On", and he remained in TV land, until the James Bond opportunity presented itself. Unlike Martin Campbell's "Goldeneye" which managed to reasonably balance the silliness and campy factor that at times permeates across the James Bond films, Roger Spottiswoode had a tougher time of reconciling these aspects, with the villainous Elliot Carver being an over the top villain, one that was almost too much for the narrative itself, something that Toby Stephens would repeat once again in "Die Another Day" (less is definitely more as some of the other Bond villains started to realize, including the fantastic Javier Bardem in Sam Mendes' "Skyfall"). The cartoonish aspect of some of the characters took away some of the grittiness Martin Campbell had set in motion with "Goldeneye", and in a way, "Tomorrow Never Dies" was a step back in the direction of the films that John Glen directed for the series during the 1980s (though not quite as tongue in cheek). The film does successfully place Michelle Yeoh as a co-lead, much more effectively than prior Bond Girls in similar situations had been rendered, but sadly she never got much to do, even if she is indeed a scene stealer wherever and whenever she appears. The film suffers from some tonal issues, undecided if it wants to be slicker than its previous chapters, or just as over the top. Ultimately there are some solid action set pieces, such as Bond and Wai Lin escaping Carver's building, but this ended up being a middling affair during Pierce Brosnan's tenure with the character. The cast while populated with great performers, had to portend with characters with very little dimension, including Jonathan Pryce's Elliot Carver (someone must have told the actor to go louder and louder), the previously mentioned Michelle Yeoh, and the always remarkable Judi Dench, who stole every scene she found herself in. The production team was excellent, including David Arnold's score, Robert Elswit's cinematography, and Allan Cameron's production design. It's a watchable and noisy entry to the series, but definitely a step down from "Goldeneye". 

Cooties

Movie Name: Cooties
Year of Release: 2014
Director: Jonathan Milott, Cary Murnion
Starring: Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Alison Pill, Jack McBrayer, Leigh Whannell, Nasim Pedrad, Ian Brennan, Jorge Garcia, Cooper Roth, Miles Elliott, Morgan Lily, Sunny May Allison, Peter Kwong
Genre: Comedy, Action
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

"Cooties" is the feature directorial debut of the team comprised of Jonathan Milott and Cary Murnion, who have since directed other features, including "Becky" and "Bushwick". The film co-written by Leigh Whannell and Ian Brennan (Whannell is responsible and co-responsible for the "Saw" and "Insidious" franchises, as well as the films "Upgrade", "The Invisible Man", and the recent "Wolf Man") follows the story of Clint Hadson, an aspiring writer, but current substitute teacher. On his first day of teaching he is reunited with his former high school crush, Lucy McCormick, also a teacher at the same school, who is now dating the physical education teacher, the high strung Wade Johnson. Unbeknownst to the school staff, the kids eat chicken nuggets that are infected with a mutant virus. The kids start infecting each other on the playground, and they're soon turning on the school staff, killing quite a few of them, including the Vice Principal, and even the Sheriff who happens to come by to check on what's happening. The surviving school staff barricades themselves in the musicl room, and they soon realize that the virus only latches on to children, and not adults. They plan on notifying the parents when it's time for the pick-up at the end of the day, but soon the arriving parents are attacked and killed by the feral children. The survivors try to escape the school, which they do with some sacrifices, only to realize that the nearby city has also been overrun. 

One of the most interesting aspects of the film "Cooties" is the fact that it doesn't take itself seriously (the title is in itself a hint for the prior statement). The film, unlike your typical zombie outbreak film or series, takes its time in setting the premise, and smartly places the most innocent and unexpected group of characters as the harbingers of doom, namely children. The characters are thinly developed, but they also have just enough substance and dimension to feel more than your typical cliché. Where the film differentiates itself is the humor in which the characters are consistently placed on, balancing the element of horror and comedy at all times, in a way that it doesn't feel forced or cringe-inducing. The adult characters are teachers/frustrated professionals, even more overwhelmed by the new situation they're having to deal with, whereas the savagery of the children, is essentially their worst nightmare come alive. The dynamics that exists between the characters is nicely established, with Clint and Lucy's chemistry being one of the highlights, the same going for Wade's irascible yet charismatic presence. The group of actors is perfectly cast for these roles, with Elijah Wood, Alison Pill, Rainn Wilson, Jack McBrayer, all playing to the strengths of their abilities. The production team is equally solid, including Lyle Vincent's cinematography, Thomas William Hallbauer's production design and the makeup effects from the team that includes Megan Areford and Martin Astles. It's an unpretentious and entertaining film worth watching. 

Goldeneye

Movie Name: Goldeneye
Year of Release: 1995
Director: Martin Campbell
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Izabella Scorupco, Famke Janssen, Judi Dench, Joe Don Baker, Robbie Coltrane, Tcheky Karyo, Gottfried John, Alan Cumming, Desmond Llewelyn, Samantha Bond, Michael Kitchen, Pavel Douglas
Genre: Action
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Following a series of films directed by John Glen during the 1980s, which included the stint with Roger Moore, and the brief one with Timothy Dalton, James Bond was in dire need of a reinvigoration which is precisely what Martin Campbell, and new star Pierce Brosnan brought to the long existing series. This episode of the series finds James Bond firstly attempting to prevent a coordinated robbery of a sophisticated helicopter, which he is unable to thwart, enabling the charismatic and lethal Xenia Onatopp from fleeing with the vessel. The newly appointed M, tasks him with investigating what happened after an electromagnetic pulse was deployed in Russia with devastating consequences. Traveling to Russia Bond eventually realizes the man behind the whole Goldeneye weapon is actually a former British Intelligence agent, a former friend of his, Alec Trevelyan. Bond is captured alongside Natalya Simonova, a survivor of the pulse deployment, and they both go through a series of pursuits of Alec and his accomplices, in order to crash their plans of massive destruction (and robbery). 

Ironically enough, director Martin Campbell didn't have much of a track record in terms of feature film direction before tackling "Goldeneye". He had made a name for himself with a series of TV shows and mini series, including "Reilly: Ace of Spies" and "Homicide: Life on the Street", with his sole feature film credits consisting of a few films in the 1970s, followed by the underrated "Criminal Law" in 1988 (with Gary Oldman and Kevin Bacon), "Defenseless" in 1991 (with Barbara Hershey and Sam Shepard), and the futuristic "No Escape/Escape from Absolon" in 1994 (with Ray Liotta and Lance Henriksen). "Goldeneye" however manage to encapsulate much of what action films had become from the work crafted by John McTiernan, Richard Donner, Tony Scott, and James Cameron, and bring a more engaging and muscular number of set pieces that while involving much destruction, it didn't necessarily become borderline a parody of the genre itself (which had happened on the latter films led by Roger Moore in the early to mid 1980s). While there are indeed over the top sequences in the film (the first set piece for instance), Martin Campbell was smart enough to bring some additional dynamics, grit and humor to the proceedings, even if at times, and particularly now with some distance from its release, the film does feel a bit like a bridge between the stylings of John Glen, Lewis Gilbert, and Terence Young, and more of what modern spy films were all about (which included more character development, and not necessarily the kitsch set pieces). The casting was also a successful one, with Judi Dench revitalizing the M character, bringing a much needed antagonism and pulse of vitality to an otherwise predictable supporting role, with the Bond girls, particularly Famke Janssen, creating an iconic villain, one that has no substance to it, but one what she peppers with humor, and an energy that not many have been able to match (before or since). Pierce Brosnan was also a good suit for Bond, even if at times too suave and debonair, something more applicable for instance on his take of Thomas Crown (directed by John McTiernan). The production team was solid, including the memorable title song performed by Tina Turner (written by Bono and The Edge). It's probably the most entertaining of the Bond films of the 1990s and always worth revisiting.  

Wolf Man

Movie Name: Wolf Man
Year of Release: 2025
Director: Leigh Whannell
Starring: Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, Matilda Firth, Sam Jaeger, Benedict Hardie, Zac Chandler, Ben Prendergast
Genre: Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis and Review

The talented Leigh Whannell has returned, following his well received "The Invisible Man", which premiered right as the pandemic was ramping up. While he has continued his acting endeavors, this is the first directorial endeavor he has released since that film. This time around the narrative follows the story of a family, comprised of Blake, the father, Charlotte, the mother, and Ginger, the young daughter. Charlotte is currently the main provider for the family, as she is a writer/journalist, whereas Blake is taking care of Ginger, until a new job comes along (he is also a writer). They live in the Seattle area, and Blake proposes they travel to Oregon as a family activity, since they've gotten a bit astray from each other, and that's the area where he grew up. It's also an opportunity to check his father's farm, since his father has been officially declared dead after quite some time without giving signs of life (Blake had stop engaging with him quite some time ago). Due to the remoteness of the farm, as they venture out through a forrest, Blake is unsure which path to take, until one of their last neighbors in the area, spots them and volunteers to take them to the property. As they're getting close to the property, Blake spots an individual in the middle of the dirt road, and in order to avoid hitting the individual, he swerves the truck and ends up getting everyone involved in an accident. While no one is hurt, something climbs the truck and takes Blake's neighbor. The creature comes back and while trying to take Blake, only manages to slightly hurt him. The family takes refuge in the family's house, but Blake starts to feel sick, at the same time the creature is closing in on all of them.

Something that has been so interesting about all of Leigh Whannell's projects thus far, is the way he reinvents what sometimes can be considered a clichéd subject matter. With "Upgrade" he took a stab at the revenge B-movie of the 1980s, embedding it with the AI perspective, all the while making the narrative an interesting question at what drives human will, and at what point do we become more than a collection of basic instincts. The same type of deconstructed approach was taken with "The Invisible Man", repurposing HG Wells' novel into something just as harrowing, and yet very much about the role technology has these days, even if in many ways, technology can indeed reinforce unbalanced power dynamics, abuse situations, and the case of the film itself, address how the human body can be changed through it. "Wolf Man" sadly is less of a deconstruction as his prior films have been. The film does start promisingly enough, by indicating that the werewolf strain is associated with a virus of sort, but sadly the film never goes beyond the family in danger situation, with some rather questionable set pieces. The most interesting aspect of the film is the perspective Leigh Whannell gives Blake as he's morphing into something else, and as a consequence of this alteration, his sense of reality is also being warped, almost feverishly so. The film almost feels rushed in a certain sense, as if the filmmakers were aiming to go further with some of the elements the narrative set in motion, but were held back from doing so. There's aspects to admire from the film nonetheless, namely the mood and ability to illustrate a truly remote locale, giving the characters a sense of complete isolation from the rest of the world. The cast tries their best with the material, but they feel miscast, particularly Julia Garner, who for all her talent, feels too young for the role of a mother of a young girl, whereas Christopher Abbott, usually so effective in roles of certain moral ambiguity, creates a rather forgettable Blake in this tale, neither convincingly embodying the adult coming to terms with a possibly damaging childhood, nor this new phase in which he finds himself, where the metamorphosis is neither embraced, nor combatted. The production team is effective, particularly Stefan Duscio's cinematography, Benjamin Wallfisch's score, and Ruby Mathers' production design. It's a watchable film, but hopefully the next project is a more rewarding one for this talented actor/writer/producer/director. 

Civil War

Movie Name: Civil War
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Alex Garland
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Nick Offerman, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Nelson Lee, Jefferson White, Evan Lai, Vince Pisani, Justin James Boykin
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Writer/director Alex Garland is back, following the divisive "Men". 

This time around the film takes place in the United States in a non defined timeframe, where a civil war has thrown the country into chaos. Three journalists who are in New York decide to go to Washington, D.C. in order to interview the president, including Lee Smith a war photographer, her colleague Joel, and their mentor Sammy, a gentleman of a certain age. While Lee and Joel want to be in the midst of that journalistic coup, Sammy wants to go to the frontline at Charlottesville, Virginia. They're eventually joined by a young photojournalist by the name of Jessie Cullen, who begs them to take her with them. As the group crosses the country to get to D.C., they witness communities who are trying to live their existences oblivious to what is happening in the rest of the country, but also witness horrifying situations, one of which eventually results in Sammy getting mortally wounded. As they eventually get to D.C., they witness what remains of that fight for power. 

There's been many films about journalists in war conflicts, particularly during the 80s, when that genre seemed to flourish. Those films typically revisited the traumatic wars of the late 60s and 70s, such as Peter Weir's "The Year of Living Dangerously", Rolland Joffé's "The Killing Fields", Oliver Stone's "Salvador", Roger Spottiswoode's "Under Fire", to name but a few, all films that showcased the atrocities of war through the lens of those who documented it. What some of those films managed to do however, was to showcase who those reporters were, what motivated them to stay, and how the events taking place also shaped who they were as individuals/characters (you are changed by the environment in which you exist, something Francis Ford Coppola also captured in "Apocalypse Now"). Somehow of all the films written by Alex Garland, this is the one where his attention to characters is the shallowest, and the least compelling. The writer/director was able to capture and illustrate the context of the reality he has devised, but has somehow forgotten to inhabit this narrative with characters that have some depth and perspective to them. While Kirsten Dunst's Lee has some wariness of the war zone, that hardly constitutes a character trait, while Joel on the other hand is a character devoid of any substance (or meaning), the same eventually extending to Jessie. Sammy as the older and wiser character is written as the conscience of the group (a bit like Brendan Gleeson's character in "28 Days Later", another of Garland's scripts), but even he remains a bit of a cypher, with his sacrifice ultimately being a catalyst for the emotional disintegration of the group, something that is also underdeveloped. This film feels a bit like an extended episode of "The Twilight Zone", with great production values, but one that lacks the bite, insight, and character development to make it truly memorable. The cast tries their best with the characters they have, with Cailee Spaeny and Stephen McKinley Henderson creating the most compelling characters. The production team is phenomenal, including Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury's score, Rob Hardy's cinematography, and Caty Maxey's production design. It's a film in love with its topical theme, but undernourished in characters and relationships. Here's hoping the next one is a better endeavor for Alex Garland.  

His Three Daughters

Movie Name: His Three Daughters
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Azazel Jacobs
Starring: Natasha Lyonne, Carrie Coon, Elizabeth Olsen, Jay O. Sanders, Jovan Adepo, Jose Febus, Rudy Galvan, Jasmine Bracey
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review

Following the well received Patrick deWitt's adaptation of "French Exit", writer/producer/director Azazel Jacobs returned with another feature, one that he wrote himself, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival of 2023, upon which Netflix bought worldwide rights for it, and released it in September of 2024. The narrative follows the story of three sisters, Rachel, Katie, and Christina who reunite in New York, as their father is terminally ill, and they're together to see him through the last moments of his life. Rachel had been with Vincent through his ailment, and is the only one in the family on the lease for the apartment, something that keeps being brought up whenever there's a conversation. There's quite a bit of animosity of Katie towards Rachel, across everything the latter one does, in particular her habits of gambling and smoking pot. The sisters also have daily visits from Angel, a hospice worker who comes over to explain what is happening to Vincent, and what will happen once he passes away. When Rachel's boyfriend shows up, he becomes angered at Katie for her lashing out at Rachel, who has been the sole caretaker for Vincent throughout all the years, when Katie herself lives in Brooklyn and rarely showed up. Katie refers to Benjy as a stranger, but as it turns out, they had met before, and he had been coming over to spend time with Vincent very frequently. The relationship between the sisters boils over when Rachel hits back at all the criticism, including Katie's suggestion that she's less of a daughter, since she's a stepdaughter, to which Rachel states Vincent is the only father she ever knew. 

There's much to admire in Azazel Jacobs' drama, as the narrative slowly unfolds and reveals who these characters actually are. While initially they seem to fit certain stereotypes, namely the irresponsible pothead, the uptight one, and the loopy one, as the film progresses the more nuanced they all start to become, showing more vulnerability, and demonstrating that not all is what it seems (in their lives and in themselves). The film in certain aspects brings to mind Woody Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisters" and "September", firstly because of the similarities some of the sisters' personalities have, and secondly for the somber tone that the film has. A few aspects that prevents this film from truly soaring include at times the overly stagey aspect that it takes, particularly the set up of the feature and the beginning of the narrative itself. The way the characters are positioned in the physical space of the apartment, and even how their lines are uttered, reads as a theater play. Secondly, while a serious and dramatic topic, there's hardly a respite of humor in the entire film, something that Woody Allen has always been so good at embedding in his features, even the more dramatic ones. Lastly, while the casting is spot on perfect, it would be nice to see these performers shaken out of characters they've become accustomed to, and try something different for a change. The three central leads excel, particularly Natasha Lyonne, who manages to mix her usual tough persona, with vulnerability, pain and a melancholy that threatens to dim her light, but Carrie Coon as the uptight and self-centered Katie is solid, as is the quiet affirmation of Elizabeth Olsen's Christina, even if seems like we've seen these performers playing these characters before. The three central leads get great support from the always fantastic Jay O. Sanders and Jovan Adepo. The production team is impeccable, including Sam Levy's cinematography and Rodrigo Amarante's score. A solidly crafted and performed film, worth watching. 

Shattered Glass

Movie Name: Shattered Glass
Year of Release: 2003
Director: Billy Ray
Starring: Hayden Christensen, Peter Sarsgaard, Chloe Sevigny, Steve Zahn, Rosario Dawson, Melanie Lynskey, Hank Azaria, Mark Blum, Simone-Élise Girard, Chad Donella, Jamie Elman, Luke Kirby, 
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review

Billy Ray made his name firstly as a screenwriter during the 1990s, having written films such as Richard Rush's "Color of Night", Mick Jackson's "Volcano", and Gregory Hoblit's "Hart's War" (sharing screenwriting credits that is). "Shattered Glass" was his feature directorial debut, of what has been thus far a very solid writing/directing career. The film which takes place in the late 1990s, is based on true facts, follows the story of Stephen Glass, a young journalist, who holds an associate editor role at The New Republic publication. Stephen is well liked by his colleagues and is somewhat sheltered by editor Michael Kelly. However due to internal conflicts, Kelly gets fired, and in his replaced by Charles Lane. Glass writes a story with the title "Hack Heaven", which reaches Forbes Digital Tool. One of the publication's reporters, Adam Penenberg, finds no supporting information/facts to corroborate the story. When trying to contact the individuals mentioned in the story, courtesy of a number Glass has made available, those calls go straight to voicemail. Charles Lane starts suspecting something is suspicious about the story, and as he pokes deeper into the details of the story, he realizes Glass made up all the events and facts that sustain the article. He confronts Glass about the situation, and decides to investigate prior articles he had written, only to realize the falsified facts were something he had equally done with his prior articles. 

Feature films focused on journalists have been a staple for decades. In the 1970s they took a qualitatively jump when Alan J. Pakula directed "All the President's Men", which is of course a classic, but since then other films have tackled life on the newsroom, some with a lighter tone such as Ron Howard's "The Paper", and others more dramatic such as Tom McCarthy's "Spotlight", Steven Spielberg's "The Post", and more recently, Maria Schrader's "She Said". "Shattered Glass" is an investigative story, but one that focuses on the integrity of one of the newsroom scribes, and essentially makes this film an analysis on the games of an impostor, who truly embodied the term impostor syndrome. The film deftly captures the relationship of camaraderie and trust between the characters on the newsroom team, simultaneously demonstrating how potent the illusion created by the central character actually was, and the amount of disbelief that occurred when the mountain of lies that had been created started to collapse. It's a testament to the quality of the writer/director that he doesn't demonize the central character, instead showing that character as someone who is crafting this made-up reality where he is an accomplished and trustworthy journalist, one that is being undone by external events, even if he is the one who has manipulated and fabricated most of the stories he had written. While what we get to know of these characters is somewhat limited, there's much to admire of the unfolding of the narrative as the lies become more and more evident. The cast is uniformly great, particularly Hayden Christensen as Stephen Glass, and the always underrated and superb Peter Sarsgaard as Charles Lane, though they all get additional solid support from Chloe Sevigny, Steve Zahn, Melanie Lynskey, and Hank Azaria. The production team is solid, including Mychael Danna's score, Mandy Walker's cinematography, and François Séguin's production design. A solid film worth watching. 

Madres Paralelas/Parallel Mothers

Movie Name: Madres Paralelas/Parallel Mothers
Year of Release: 2021
Director: Pedro Almodovar
Starring: Penelope Cruz, Milena Smit, Aitana Sanchez-Gijon, Israel Elejalde, Rossy de Palma, Julieta Serrano, Ainhoa Santamaria, Adelfa Calvo, Julio Manrique
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review

Following the autobiographical "Dolor y Gloria/Pain and Glory", which featured one of Antonio Banderas' best performances, Pedro Almodovar returned with another female centric narrative. This time around the narrative focuses on the story of Janis Martinez, a professional photographer, whom we first encounter doing a photo shoot with an archaeologist by the name of Arturo. She asks him if it is possible that his foundation will help excavate a mass grave near her pueblo, where quite a few people including her ancestors, were shot during the Spanish Civil War. Families want to be able to put the remains in the cemetery, where they belong. Janis and Arturo have a romantic tryst, which doesn't go any further, as Arturo is married, and his wife is going through some serious health issues. Janis however discovers she's pregnant, and decides to keep the baby, even if Arturo isn't entirely on board. While waiting to give birth in the hospital, she becomes friends with another woman who is also giving birth, a young woman by the name of Ana. Both women give birth at the same time, and both their babies are held for observation due to some minor concerns. They decide to stay in touch with each other. A few months later Arturo connects with Janis in order to check on the baby, and much to her surprise, he openly expresses that he thinks the baby isn't his. Janis decides to do a DNA test on herself and the baby, and much to her shock, the test confirms that she also isn't the mother of the child. During this time, she reconnects with Ana, who is working at a coffee shop near her house. Ana tells her that Anita, Ana's baby, has died as a result of crib death. Janis decides to invite Ana to come work and live in her house. 

"Madres Paralelas" is another great female centric narrative from Pedro Almodovar. It's a film that once again has a variety of different layers to itself, one that examines the roles of women and the various nuances that exist between all of them, something that can be easily visualized by the perspectives that are given to Janis/Ana/Teresa. In parallel with this focus on women, there's also a thread dedicated on looking back to Spain's own history, and how some of the wounds from its Civil War are still very much open, and the longing that families have to find closure regarding it. All these threads make this film very compelling, something that is amplified because this film also manages to have a great central character, a modern woman, of a certain age, coming to terms with what she wants for her future, while also looking back at her ancestry, her roots, and what shaped her to be who she is. While the story itself isn't as inspired as "All About My Mother" or "Talk to Her" or even "Bad Education", it's nonetheless a film that is just as rich, since these characters are more nuanced, have more depth, and feel more authentic as a result of all the threads that are woven. Penélope Cruz is fantastic in the central role, composing a character that is unlike the effusive and dazzling ones she's created for Pedro Almodovar: Janis is a mature woman, someone who is conflicted by some of the unexpected swings life throws at her, but that somehow keeps moving along, not letting herself be deterred by anything. Her scenes with Milena Smit, particularly in the third act are heartbreaking. The supporting cast is equally solid, particularly Aitana Sanchez-Gijon, Julieta Serrano, and Rossy de Palma. The technical team is impeccable as always, with particular highlights going for Jose Luis Alcaine's cinematography, Alberto Iglesias' score, Antxon Gomez's production design, and Paola Torres' costumes. Another great film from one of the most gifted storytellers/directors currently working. 

Best films of 2023

2023 had some knockout films and performances. A definite rebound from 2022, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Some of the films on this list are in my opinion, modern classics. 

Killers of the Flower Moon

Director: Martin Scorsese

The Holdovers 

Director: Alexander Payne

Poor Things

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

The Boy and the Heron

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Anatomy of a Fall 

Director: Justine Triet

May December

Director: Todd Haynes

All of Us Strangers

Director: Andrew Haigh

The Zone of Interest

Director: Jonathan Glazer

Passages

Director: Ira Sachs

Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Favorite Performance of the Year: Natalie Portman ("May December")

Favorite Supporting Performance of the Year: Jodie Foster ("Nyad") (with a strong highlight for Julianne Moore for "May December", Mark Ruffalo for "Poor Things", and Ben Whishaw for "Passages")

Favorite Cinematography: Rodrigo Prieto ("Killers of the Flower Moon")

Favorite Score of the Year: Mica Levi ("The Zone of Interest")

Favorite Production Design of the Year: Jack Fisk ("Killers of the Flower Moon")

Favorite Costume Design of the Year: Holly Waddington ("Poor Things")

Favorite Director of the Year: Hayao Miyazaki ("The Boy and the Heron") (with a strong highlight for Jonathan Glazer for "The Zone of Interest")

Best films of 2022

Another year with less than compelling film offerings in my opinion, 2022 just didn't resonate with me quite as strongly as the prior one. Here are my highlights for that year.

Everything Everywhere All At Once

Director: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

The Fabelmans

Director: Steven Spielberg

Aftersun

Director: Charlotte Wells

Glass Onion

Director: Rian Johnson

Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

Director: Anthony Fabian

Bones and All

Director: Luca Guadagnino

Favorite Performance of the Year: Michelle Yeoh ("Everything Everywhere All At Once")

Favorite Supporting Performance of the Year: Ke Huy Quan ("Everything Everywhere All At Once")

Favorite Cinematography: Larkin Seiple ("Everything Everywhere All At Once")

Favorite Score of the Year: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross ("Bones and All")

Favorite Production Design of the Year: Rick Heinrichs ("Glass Onion")

Favorite Costume Design of the Year: Mark Bridges ("The Fabelmans")

Favorite Director of the Year: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert ("Everything Everywhere All At Once")

Best films of 2021

In line with the listings I'm currently updating, here's what I compiled for year 2021. A much better crop of films that came out that year, from very different and talented artists. 

Dune

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Licorice Pizza

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

The Power of the Dog

Director: Jane Campion

Nightmare Alley

Director: Guillermo del Toro

Madres Paralelas

Director: Pedro Almodovar

Belfast

Director: Kenneth Branagh

The Worst Person in the World

Director: Joachim Trier

The Green Knight

Director: David Lowery

Mass

Director: Fran Kranz

Passing

Director: Rebecca Hall

Pig

Director: Michael Sarnoski

Competencia Oficial

Director: Mariano Cohn, Gaston Duprat

Favorite Performance of the Year: Penélope Cruz ("Madres Paralelas") (other two include Benedict Cumberbatch for "The Power of the Dog" and Renate Reinsve for "The Worst Person in the World")

Favorite Supporting Performance of the Year: Kirsten Dunst ("The Power of the Dog")

Favorite Cinematography: Greig Fraser ("Dune")

Favorite Score of the Year: Hans Zimmer ("Dune")

Favorite Production Design of the Year: Patrice Vermette ("Dune")

Favorite Costume Design of the Year: Luis Sequeira ("Nightmare Alley")

Favorite Director of the Year: Jane Campion ("The Power of the Dog")