Good Night and Good Luck

Is this a movie? It’s a play based on a movie, but it’s filmed. And it first aired live on CNN. So what is it? Does it count as a movie? A TV movie? 

Clooney and Heslov have every right to be proud of their 2005 Oscar nominee, and it couldn’t be more relevant today. Clooney plays Edward R. Murrow now instead of David Strathairn. The story is a simple one with up-to-the-minute themes: what if a politician becomes drunk on power and there’s no one who will hold them accountable? Clooney and Heslov clearly love and respect journalism and aspire to depict reporters as heroes. It’s unfortunately a concept of a bygone era, as truth, reporting, and journalism are dying a slow, zombie death. For all we know, they (you know who) will try to erase this movie from history like so many banned books and historical figures. Watch it while you can, and lament the death of democracy.

Good Fortune

Kudos to Aziz Ansari for getting a movie made, getting a theatrical release, and sneaking in a little social commentary. But the comedy here is uneven. Rogan and Reeves are both on their mark and subvert their personas admirably. Ansari though, with his voice like a blaring bugle, feels a bit off. The editors of Parks and Rec must have understood his rhythms better than he does, because there are times where he seems like he’s tired and trying to keep up. Maybe that’s because he was wearing writing and directing hats, too. The concept isn’t wildly original. It’s Trading Places, Life Stinks, Sullivan’s Travels, and every Capra movie all rolled into a big, LA street taco. So while the execution isn’t stellar, it’s a serviceable thesis of wealth inequity and Keanu the slacker angel offers some mild chuckles.

Deep Cover

You can’t just name a movie Deep Cover if there is already a movie called Deep Cover. Deep Cover is a Laurence Fishburne movie directed by Bill Duke. BUT I DIGRESS! Besides the actor’s salaries, which probably constituted about 83% of the budget, this is a relatively low-budget but serviceable action/comedy. There are numerous examples of movies wherein real cops are reluctantly pared with wannabe actors, so it’s not like it’s reinventing the wheel (ibid the title). But, to her credit, Bryce Howard holds it together and Orlando Bloom and Nick Mohammed offer plenty of complications. The science of improv is barely surface-scraped, but it still offers enough context to “yes, and” and escalate the shopworn gangster plot. The cast seems like they’re having fun. Bloom especially seems to relish taking the piss out of the method actors and the ridiculous Jared Leto techniques. It’s an enjoyable, non-traumatic way to pass the time on a plane.

One Battle After Another

Yet another assured offering from Paul Thomas Anderson. DiCaprio’s rebel slacker is like the feral offspring of Jackson Lamb and “The Dude” as he rushes and flails his way through this trial like an (credit to Kiki →) “unmade bed”  ripped away in a tornado. He’s a slob. He drinks too much. He wears a lot of robes. A fumbling, flailing, hero. “PTA” somehow strikes the perfect hybrid comedy/thriller tone, but the danger’s never minimized thanks to the unhinged, comedic appearance from Sean Penn, who nails this evil, weird agent of chaos with veteran confidence. All of the supporting cast is great and there’s not an unnecessary frame in this entire, frenetically-paced outing. The music that accompanies this chaos is chaotic itself, and that drove me a little bit crazy, even though I recognize how necessary it is. When the rubber meets the road, this is a taut action movie, and (plot twist) a movie about family. Chase Infiniti, the rookie heroine, is a revelation and fights and flails through her adventure with skill and fortitude. It’s a barnburner.

Weapons

“The less you know the better.” Weapons is a secret club; an exclusive contract with the culture kids to not discuss or spoil, but instead just experience the movie. It’s a marvel of marketing more than anything else because it’s not THAT mysterious. If you were to pitch it to a horror movie nerd in the snack line at Comic-Con, this would sound pretty conventional. But the odd pacing, the comedic cuts, and the wild detours make this a fun ride. It’s the original method that the story is told that makes this special. Filmmakers grant the audience key, very necessary resolutions. But several of the odd detours and departures showcasing details of the lives of supporting characters don’t really factor in and stay unresolved. So, what’s the point of showing us? It’s hard to say. These nods to the “peculiar” people feel like an homage to David Lynch -- the reasons for them being there will never be fully understood. It’s just for the “vibes,” as the kids say. But it’s “fun” weird rather than “weird” weird which makes this a wild ride and a satisfying endeavor.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale

Something happened between episode 2 and episode 3 that I don’t understand. It’s as if some studio executive said, “The last movie was too perfect. We need to shake this one up a little. Film it rough, edit it poorly, rattle the can a little. That’ll bring the kids in!” Maybe their timeline or their deadlines were different. Suffice it to say, something is off here. Pans are too fast. Close ups are too close. Cuts are too abrupt. It’s the filmmakers fault for making “A New Era” so perfectly perfect. “The Grand Finale” had nowhere to go but down(ton). Not that it’s a first-class train wreck. The trials of Lady Mary still engage, as expected. She’ll be missed by her demographic.

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues

The day-to-day life of the vacuous rock star isn’t mined here. There are no conversations about cold cuts, amp knobs, or album covers. We know these guys now. This is much more about getting older, mending fences, cheese, and sitting than it is about Heavy Duty rock and roll. The timing could not be better for this release after a summer of public feuds from The Who and the death of Ozzy. That being so, this document arrives a little more grounded in reality. Different from the first, the big surprise here are the cameos from real rockers, especially Paul McCartney who can hold his own with the improv ninjas. Stringently paced by Rob Reiner and Editor Bob Joyce, one wonders how much silliness ended up on the “cutting room floor” hard drive. There might be ten more movies in there! Such a sweet, funny, nostalgic dessert, and an apolitical tonic for trying times.

KPop Demon Hunters

Not my demographic. But the studio that made Into the Spider-Verse (my demographic) sticks the landing here with snazzy animation, exploding color, funny banter, and above-par musical sequences. The moral of the story is a broad-stokes parable about not judging people by the color of their skin or something, and also not jumping to conclusions. Kid stuff, really. But the movement, color, and expressions of the characters are all whatever the Korean word for “dope” is.

Caught Stealing

This didn’t do it for me. It’s too violent to be a comedy and too talky to be an action movie. It’s an unforced error of tone. Reading that it was based on a novel, it made sense. A novelist can characterize tragedy differently. Darren Aronofsky and company attempt a Guy Richie/Shane Black milieu but the events of the story don’t add up to a hero's journey – in a comedy or an action movie. The hero gets his ass kicked the entire time, he doesn’t protect the princess or save the cat, and he’s nowhere around during the big shoot-out between some supporting characters. It’s a bummer. Yes: stylish filmmaking occupies time. The end credits were cool. But in the end I felt kind of dirty.

Devo

The hazards of rockumentaries are that you can’t really cover all the things about a band in a two-hour show. There was plenty more I wanted to learn about Devo, although I was still happy to see/hear the broad strokes. I’m more inclined to want a straight telling of the history instead of a post-impressionistic, avant-garde essay that tries to invoke the style of the art the band is known for. So I’m grateful to the director (Chris Smith, the American Movie guy) for keeping it moving and pulling the thread. Devo had so many ideas about violence, America, consumerism, and pop-art, it’s a wonder they were able to focus at all. It’s a satisfying aperitif of an extremely influential band.

Nobody 2

Another violent everyman revenge fantasy. This one is the highly-trained assassin from the first movie played capably by Bob Odenkirk. The original chapter has some strong themes about emasculated men in the protector role and really touched a nerve. This sequel is more like Home Alone with adults. You know “Hutch” is never going to die, so you watch with glee as he blows up bad guys with cinematic zeal. Odenkirk’s performance stands out; he’s never quippy or sadistic. He really does just want to go on vacation, and his beleaguered manner sells this. But there’s nothing original here. All the good stuff is in the first one. So it’s not miserable to watch. It’s just a confection and nothing more.

Novocaine

Once you hear the premise, you want to believe that it will be used as an analogy about overcoming your weaknesses and turning them into strengths. Every disease is a superpower. But the superpower disease here is really just used to plunge our guy into more and more danger, have him live though it somehow, turn up the violence, and make him go another round. It’s like a hyper-violent, inexpensive version of Superman. Dennis and Meg’s nepo-baby Jack Quaid is a pretty good actor, and delivers his hapless banker everyman with ease and skill, despite a ridiculous conceit that belongs in a Jason Statham movie. Anyhoo, there’s plenty of killin’, so that’s neat.

Venom: The Last Dance

Oops! I did it again: I watched another Venom movie on an airplane. These movies are action-packed and super weird. They’re filled with well-respected British actors and, while the action scenes are first-rate (this one has an expensive chase in some roaring rapids) the point seems to be depicting the embodiment of the id. “Venom” the character, an alien species that wants to kill, eat, dance, and kill some more, is actually pretty funny. He’s this awkward, brutal, child voice inside of Tom Hardy that desires all the classic stuff that’s bad for you. Tom Hardy is, more often than not, bickering with and playing off of himself as this pretty funny monster. So it’s actually a buddy comedy. His commitment to the bit is unwavering. Will this series of Marvel movies change the course of human history for the better? No, it will not. But it’ll enjoyably pass the time on an airplane, and maybe satiate the deep-seated desire to punch that TSA agent who looked at you threateningly for forgetting to empty your water bottle.

Thunderbolts*

Florence Pugh's Yelena is having an existential crisis. She carries out her assassinations and spy missions with the ennui of a French shoe model. Not only is she an anti-hero but she is firmly “anti-hero.” Like most heroes in most things, though, she gets dragged reluctantly into saving the day, only because she’s taken a liking to “Bob”, a lab-made super-soldier as confused as she is about the world and its supposed protectors. Akin to DCs Suicide Squad, a rag-tag motley crew of malcontents must team up and prevent a catastrophe, and crack wise as often as possible during the ordeal. It works, I think. Mainly because the plot is relatively easy to follow and there’s a very imperfect grump driving the action. Pugh is so good at acting bored, I almost suspect that she’s phoning it in and she wouldn’t normally be caught dead in this genre. But the whole cast is that way – outsiders being flippant, as though they’re not being paid enough. God forbid this surly crew should get a gig they care about.

The Naked Gun

Liam Neeson “takin’ the piss” out of his tough guy persona is a no-brainer. He’s game, and the rest of the cast is, too. It’s enjoyable enough, if not always original or hilarious. The old Naked Gun movies derived from the Police Squad series which was a send-up of a certain kind of cop drama. This comedy avoids spoofing certain Liam Neeson movies and various CSI/Law & Order cop shows, which is a missed opportunity. It’s almost like it’s a “spoof” of the Naked Gun franchise, which is a weird thing to say. Some fan-service moments, and certain cameos, feel random and forced. Other sequences, like one bit of lunacy in a mountain chalet, are risky and inspired. Truly silly comedies are rare these days, so I appreciate the effort.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps

“I will spare your world in exchange for the child.”  -- Isaiah 44:44 

MOB OF AMERICAN JERKS: “What did the God Galactus want?” 

SUE STORM: “He wanted to take our baby.” 

MOB OF AMERICAN JERKS: “Okay, great. Problem solved.” 

SUE STORM: “We told him ‘no’.” 

MOB OF AMERICAN JERKS: “WHAT?? Why? Why’d you tell him THAT? Why are you so selfish?? You should have given up your baby to save us atheistic jerks.” 

There’s not much subtlety to the underlying message here. Americans are jerks that want you to kill your baby. Families and pregnancies are what matter. And your baby is special and magical. For the most part, it’s a warm-bath of nostalgic comfort (except for the whole biblical, God taking yer baby, pro-life business). Things stretch. Things go “fwoosh.” Thing feels it's time to clobber. The sets are neat. Too bad they don’t serve macaroni and cheese or tater-tots at the theater. That would be perfect.

Sinners

"I want your music and I want your stories," says the white vampire, the blood-sucker, offering wealth and eternal life in exchange for the blues. But the Vampire/Irishman was an immigrant too, once, with his own music which also comes from somewhere else - most likely church. There’s analogy on top of allegory on top of parable here, and I’m afraid I’m not enlightened enough to figure it all out. But this mash-up of the cotton fields post-slavery, the immigrant experience, the juke joint jazz, and vampire lore makes for an entertaining and thought-provoking jazz stew. The vampire lore, especially the bit about requiring to be “invited in”, factors heavily in the plot. Filmmakers rely on the conventions of the genre to their great advantage, informing this allegory about cultural appropriation. Despite some weird, pseudo-Lynchian surrealism in the middle, which took me out of the story for a minute, this is an incisive banger, biting off more than it can chew, and trying always to slay.

Galaxy Quest

I’ve seen this nutty comedy plenty of times. Upon this re-watch, I re-appreciated Justin Long. His spot-on delivery of the awkward, teenage superfan is one of the many things that makes this a classic.

Superman

Americans are kinda dicks. Superman does all this work to try to save everybody and they all just stand around and throw shit at him. There’s no gravitas here. There’s no opera. He’s just an ordinary schlub busting his ass all the time, while he tries to take care of his dumb cousin’s pain-in-the-ass dog. He might as well be Ralph Kramden. Is the message deeper? Are filmmakers trying to compare Supes to the immigrant population? The janitors and farm-workers? Doing the stuff nobody else wants to do? Is it just a coincidence that Ma and Pa Kent are farmers? The righties sure are pissed off about something, supposedly. They probably want less Superman and more Homelander. But Homelander could never land a spark-plug like Lois Lane, so Superman must be doing something right.

Jurassic World Rebirth

This is a perfectly adequate summer popcorn movie. To think about it too much will cause the sweater to unravel. The plot is predictable. Some dumb family wanders into trouble. Some great white hunters save the day. Some greedy corporate types get chomped. Some homage to Michael Crichton is paid. Some questions are answered, others are not. Toy and ride potential is unmistakable. It’s an exercise in box-checking.

Mean Girls

Watching this on “movie night” with a group of friends is fun. It’s a pivotal teen comedy from a very specific time, where the wisecrackerey occasionally overshadows Tina Fey/Daniel Waters’ point, which is: Hey, kids! Quit being shitty to each other.

My Mom Jayne

Prolific cop thespian Mariska Hargitay spills the tea on her nutty origin story which mostly involves being the daughter of glamor gal Jayne Mansfield. But there are many more twists in her family saga which she documents with great personal effect. If there was an Emmy for most personal film, she would win. Filmmaking is nothing fancy. It’s pretty straightforward and aims to educate and inform. You can’t help but root for the hero as she recalls being batted around from parent to parent and somehow turning out okay.

Children of Men

Still so, so impressive. Taut direction, a break-neck pace, and astute performances. The medical issues and the “fugee” camps keep this eerily relevant. What makes this different from current events is: there’s actually hope for humanity at the end of the film. In reality, there isn’t much.

Velvet Underground

Watched this 2021 doc about the seminal band by Todd Haynes. Like the band and the other mopers in Andy Warhols’s factory, this has a dull drone to it, like it’s testing the audience to stay alert -- akin to some of Warhol’s long, off-the-wall film experiments. It’s a heroine-induced slog. I would have appreciated a more Ken Burns take with real information and insight.

F1

F1 SPORTSCASTER: "Even though he's in last place in this race, we're going to be talking about washed-up, old racer Sonny Hayes the entire time because he's the subject of this movie and he's being played by Brad Pitt! Vroom! Blimey! Look at him go!"

Formula One racing seems to be having a moment. Hollywood-izing this very European sport makes perfect sense, and Jerry Bruckheimer is the prophet of choice to send this message – things go VROOM. Writers and filmmakers inject some of the data strategy and timing involved with this team sport, which is interesting if not totally vroomy. Types of tires, lengths of pitstops, and aerodynamics are all dramatized with Bruckheimerian energy. Lots of accented, European engineers fuss about “combat”, “victory”, and different colored flags. Brad Pitt stews a lot, and occasionally grimaces. And the theater we saw this in had vibrating seats. All told it’s a good popcorn movie and you get your money’s worth, even if it is just propaganda.

Carry-On

I’ll write this review with the same tool I believe the screenplay was written: with ChatGPT.com.  

PROMPT: Write a snarky, sarcastic, 5 sentence movie review of the 2024 movie "Carry-On" starring Taron Egerton and Jason Bateman. 

 “Carry-On” is the movie equivalent of getting stuck in airport security behind someone with 14 loose change trays and a mysterious metal hip. Taron Egerton gives it his best shot, bless him, trying to act like this isn’t just Die Hard in Terminal C. Jason Bateman looks like he wandered in from a darker, more interesting movie—and decided to stay just to punish us. The plot tries to build suspense but ends up feeling like a TSA instructional video with more blood and worse lighting. By the end, you’re not rooting for anyone—you’re just praying your flight boards early.

The Life of Chuck

A surprisingly poignant essay about life and death adapted from a Stephen King short story. This is more about chapters and segments. It relies less on a driving plot or suspense, and more on exploring the themes. Very well acted throughout in a sub-genre I would describe as “What the fuck is going on?” We find out in due time, and it’s a sad, but thoughtful explanation. Describing it in more detail runs the risk of this coming off as corny, but filmmakers approach the story with such unalloyed sincerity that, well, you just have to see it. Or live it.

Predator: Killer of Killers

Interesting and watchable anime from the "Predator" universe, expanding the world of the “Yautja” (predator species) and their brutal rituals. The capable humans hunted for sport seem to get abducted anyway, unlike the Schwarzeneggers of yore, which feels like a retcon (“retroactive continuity”) intended build-out the universe. That’s fine. Milk it for all it’s worth, movie studio. But just don’t fuck with Prey too much. It’s kinda special.

Ballerina

At the outset, John Wick was different. Because instead of the old chestnut, “You killed my father…” the bad guys killed his puppy and stole his car. It paints pain and revenge in a different light. Here, we’re back with the “You killed my father…” trope, so the story and plot just isn’t that surprising. Nevertheless, writers and filmmakers include a couple of creative sequences when weapons and settings are used in unique ways, and that makes for a fun, light-hearted night at the movies – but lacking the John Wick gravitas.

Mickey 17

An interesting stick-it-to-the-rich sci-fi parable that reminds me of Moon and all things Terry Gilliam. It’s well-made and unpredictable, but maybe not as “fun” as it could be. It’s grotesque at times, and often sad. Robert Pattinson is good as the disposable person in the parable; naïve and optimistic about the potential for a world without assholes.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever

Inspired by a supposed true story, this has a big heart. For better or worse, it’s pro-military and anti-news media. At first it’s a nutty, period, bro comedy, but gets more and more serious as the war escalates. The main dude, a proficient Zac Efron, does have an arc though, and returns from the war in Vietnam with doubts about it all.

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning

I’ve always really liked all of these movies. But there were moments in this when I felt like it was dragging on. Nothing really seems impossible anymore. We know Ethan’s not going to die, right? But if he’s out on the wing of the plane anyway, they might as well milk it for all it’s worth. In any event, there’s only so much popcorn in the bucket…

The Boys in the Boat

"Chariots of Water." Everything about the look and the production is top-notch, but the story feels so over-done and corny. George Clooney can direct – we know that. But the script here tries so hard to be an inspirational, period sports-movie. It’s too predictable and doesn’t really resonate.

Better Man

Generally, I admire risk. Here, filmmakers try to usurp the formula by embracing it wholeheartedly, except for one crazy change. You almost have to do something nutty like this to tell the Robbie Williams story, because the music itself is kind of ho-hum. So they make Robbie a chimp for the entire movie – and commit to the bit. It jumps around from genre to genre. Sometimes it’s a rousing dance musical and sometimes it’s a Ken Loach, kitchen sink drama. It’s an interesting experiment, but it’s too long and ultimately a bit confusing.

Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker

Re-watched this on the plane. Most of the time when the Star Wars nerds talk about this movie, they complain about Emperor Palpatine “returning” somehow. But I don’t have a huge problem with that. The series has firmly established cloning, projecting your consciousness through space, and mind control. So the emperor having another body in which to beam his psyche is fine with me. There are plenty of other logic problems in this, which I don’t mind that much. Bottom line: you have to hand it to Daisy Ridley, who carries this series with physicality and charisma. IMHO, she’s an excellent bearer of the Skywalker legacy.

The Amateur

This didn’t really move my needle. I like Rami Malek and I like revenge, but if you’re signing up for a revenge movie, the villain needs to die, preferably by having his face ripped off by the hero (ref Fury Road). The thinking man’s comeuppance here doesn’t really satisfy.

Moneyball

It’s been a while since I’ve watched this baseball/data movie and it’s still impressive they made a sports movie about spreadsheets. This wants to depict the old guys with the old way of doing things as the villains and the nerds as the heroes. But knowing what I know about baseball, some heart and intuition is still required to play the game.

Death of a Unicorn

This intends to be a horror-comedy (the trailer played pretty funny), but it’s executed like a straight-forward horror creature-feature. It also intends to stick-it to the rich, but the need for a body count means that some misguided scientists and employees also get horned. What remains is a horror movie that’s not very scary and a comedy that’s not very funny. The premise is the strongest part of this. Themes involving pillaging the natural world to monetize important medical cures make for satisfying impalings. The cast, especially Rudd and Ortega, are up to the task. But it won’t resonate. There’s a magical Sam Raimi-ish, Bruce Campbell-ish ingredient that’s lacking.

Inside Out 2

The teenager trying to fit in and befriend the cool kids, while shunning her old, nerdy friends is a typical movie problem. We’ve seen it 10 million times in every third film throughout film history. But Pixar knows how to make shit poignant, and they do a graceful, bang-up job here. While not as surprising as the first movie, this natural sequel is executed masterfully.

Black Bag

This is one of those movies where you have to pay really close attention in the first 10 minutes or you’ll be lost the whole time. Unfortunately, I saw this at the Alamo Drafthouse and there was all kinds of commotion and drink orders and stuff, so I was a little behind. Long, dimly-lit dinner scenes dominate the plot. Soderbergh and company expertly tell this bickery, low-action spy story well, but it’s not much of an adrenalin rush. Secrets are overheard, lies are told, and doubts are expressed. The stakes are high because the secret spy software could cause a nuclear meltdown, but that’s all offscreen. The real onscreen weapon is Cate Blanchett’s cheekbones, which seem especially pointy and chiseled here, which either means she had too much of something injected, or it was purposely done by the filmmakers to make us suspect she’s the villain. Either way, the moral of the story is solid: if you’re married, stick together and you may fall into a small bit of unaccounted-for spy money.

The Monkey

In the lexicon of Stephen King movies, there’s pre-Misery and post-Misery (with exceptions). This feels like a pre-Misery, non-Kubrickian adaptation, chock-full of overacting, goofy supporting characters, and playful violence. You don’t really have a lot to think about on the drive home, here. Death is coming and you can’t stop it. Also, toy monkeys are creepy. 

The Wild Robot

“Number 5 is alive!” There’s oodles of cute animals and heart-warming themes in this solid and lovingly-derivative animation. Environmental and parental motifs abound. It’s inspirational to see filmmakers successfully attempt to float a positive message out to humanity in these downtrodden times. 

Captain America: Brave New World

I wanted to like this, and watching it was a perfectly enjoyable experience. Anthony Mackie has the authentic bravado and lots of things go “swoosh” and “crash.” But it does feel like an afterthought. The Marvel universe painted itself into a corner. Where do you go after the Deadpool-Spiderman-time-travel-multiverse? So we’re back to political intrigue, which is fine. But it’s not rock-concert exciting.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage

I’m not wildly enthusiastic about these Venom movies. They just pass the time on a plane. But for better or for worse, you have to hand it to Tom Hardy. He’s often in scenes by himself, playing off himself in the form of this primal alter-ego, and his technique and commitment is respectable.

Anora

An extremely well-directed indie gem with great performances. But! The editor could’ve taken one more pass. Not necessarily to reduce the running time, but to shift focus away from the mouthy gangsters, and back on to Ani, the hero. Her performance is so volatile and complicated. It’s a historically brave and vulnerable turn from Mikey Madison. The audience often realizes things at the same time that she does, and her reactions are utterly human and heartbreaking. Yet another movie that came out in 2024 that concludes with a woman collapsing and crying in a pitiful heap. I’ve asked in this space before: Hey, women! Are you okay?

The Substance

Where did this script come from? How did this movie get made? How the HELL did this grotesque fever-dream get a Best Picture nomination? Everyone involved seems to be fully committed and in-on-the-gag. And it’s just about the riskiest big-swing you could make in Hollywood. You can’t help but admire the huge gamble this is by Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, et al. Ultimately, the parable of the beauty myth devolves into full-blown early Peter Jackson/David Cronenberg, Grand Guignol perversion and the point starts to get lost. In the final third, when it really becomes ridiculous and we’ve learned all we can, we start to wish they would just wrap things up. It gets silly and gross. But man, oh man, did they light a fuse and say something to the world. “A” for effort. Well-played, guys.

A Real Pain

The difference between someone neurotic & slightly anxious and someone deeply manic & bi-polar is on full display in this well-written, complicated road-trip, buddy dramedy. The resolution is foggy. The trip ends. But Kieran Culkin’s emotional basket-case hasn’t found any peace, and that’s a bummer. Should movies resolve? Or is it okay for them to just stop? Don’t ask me. I just work here.

The Gorge

STUDIO EXECUTIVE: We need a new movie about a sniper. 

STUDIO BOSS: Meh. It’s been done. 

STUDIO EXECUTIVE: How about a sniper who falls in love? 

STUDIO BOSS: Kinda stale. 

STUDIO EXECUTIVE: …with another sniper! 

STUDIO BOSS: (yawning) And... 

STUDIO EXECUTIVE: But wait: there’s more! They’re on the opposite sides of... (thinking quickly of a metaphor) a deep gorge. 

STUDIO BOSS: To do what? 

STUDIO EXECUTIVE: Snipe! 

STUDIO BOSS: Snipe what? 

STUDIO EXECUTIVE: Uh… zombies, of course! 

STUDIO BOSS: At some point they're going to FALL INTO the gorge full of zombies, right?

STUDIO EXECUTIVE: You can bet your sweet bippy!

STUDIO BOSS: And there will be zombies riding zombie horses, right?

STUDIO EXECUTIVE: Uh... Of course. Sure. Why not? It’s all a metaphor for societies' growing divisions and… 

STUDIO BOSS: Yeah, yeah, yeah... How pretty are the actors? 

STUDIO EXECUTIVE: The prettiest. 

STUDIO BOSS: Sold.

Becoming Led Zeppelin

Why should a rockumentary follow the rags-to-riches, sex and drugs formula? Led Zeppelin’s new contribution is significant for all the debaucherous details it leaves out. The drugs and the groupies and the heroine are absent. To fill the space there are long takes of live recordings; fantastic renditions from their first record. Band-member, talking-head interviews go into detail about the recording and engineering techniques, as well as shrewd business dealings giving them all the power. The IMAX of it all emphasizes the sound mix, not so much the picture, and the movie sounds great. Insight about the band members isn’t deep, but it isn’t intended to be. It’s about the rock and roll musical process, inventing heavy metal, and it’s a rich listen.

The Brutalist

 In my imagination, the schematic of how this movie was made starts with the filmmakers wondering why "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay" hadn’t been adapted into a movie yet. And when they learn the rights are all tied up and it’s in development hell, they make an end run – lifting many of the themes and concepts, but making it about an architect instead of a comic book artist. I’m surprised more critics and culture nerds haven’t pointed out the similarities, because there are many. There are also similarities (not in a bad way) to the various sagas about tycoons and money. There Will Be Blood. The Wolf of Wall Street. Citizen Kane. The Getty movies. The list goes on, and the thesis being demonstrated is billionaires are creeps. The serious approach to the subject allows for heavy acting and situations, and not much room for levity. All the technical aspects are strong and the acting by the leads is exceptional. But upon walking out of the theater, instead of feeling satisfied by this beautiful epic, I felt a little icky and empty. Like the architecture too, I suppose. The negative is as important as the positive space. It’s all very skillful and deliberate, which means there’s a LOT to admire. Even the credits are interesting. But you won’t be humming a happy little tune as you leave the theater. It ain’t Barbie.