"Wuthering Heights", the only novel by the British author, Emily Brontë, has captivated readers since it's publication back in 1847 and has endured as true classic of English language literature. This story about the passionate relationship between Cathy Earnshaw and Heathcliff, a poor orphan taken in by her family and the destruction he causes after she chooses to marry a wealthy neighbor instead of him has been adapted for film and television numerous times since the very beginning of cinema.
The latest version of "Wuthering Heights" is from the provocative filmmaker, Emerald Fennell who was behind the controversial and polarizing dramas, "Promising Young Woman" and "Saltburn". The just released teaser trailer of Fennell's interpretation, that will feature Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff and Margot Robbie as Cathy, makes it clear that this will not be a tradtional rendition of Brontë's acclaimed story. With a bold, experimental style and surreal imagery, this film is almost certain to stir intense debate over what the director has done with this timeless narrative.
"Wuthering Heights" is due in US theaters on February 14, 2026
The latest from Paul Thomas Anderson, "One Battle After Another" has Leonardo DiCaprio starring in a black comedy thriller, taking inspiration from the novel, "Vineland" by Thomas Pynchon. This is Anderson's second adaptation of a book by Pynchon ("Inherent Vice" was first back in 2014) and the story hasn't been fully revealed but we know that DiCaprio plays a hard-living revolutionary who is trying to rescue his kidnapped daughter (played by Chase Infiniti who last appeared in the series, "Presumed Innocent"). But he struggles to remember the password that is needed to assemble his fellow radical revolutionaries to assist him in rescuing her due to his many years of substance abuse. Sean Penn, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, Alana Haim and Benicio del Toro also star.
I have to say that I was not a fan at all of Anderson's last feature, "Licorice Pizza". Yet I remain very optimistic about this upcoming film as I believe strongly that PTA is still one of our greatest contemporary filmmakers. "Punch-Drunk Love", "There Will Be Blood", "The Master" and "Phantom Thread" all appear on the recent NYT's "100 Best Movies of the 21st Century" (making him tied with Alfonso Cuarón and the Coen brothers for the second most films of this list at four and Christopher Nolan leading with five), revealing his outstanding ability in creating enduring, modern classics.
"One Battle After Another" is due in US theaters on September 26, 2025
Where & When: AMC The Grove, Los Angeles, CA. June 14, 2025 3:30 PM
The filmmaker, Celine Song dazzled us with her debut feature, "Past Lives", a compelling drama lightly inspired by real events in her life which went on to be critically acclaimed and awarded, receiving two Academy Award nominations including Best Picture.
With her follow-up, "Materialists", Song has once again focused on a love triangle, this time involving a woman who struggles between the familiar comfort of her financially struggling, former boyfriend and the enticing qualities of a handsome, extremely wealthy financier. This dramatic romance offers enlightened observations on the complications in trying to find love and intimacy in today's money-driven world. Yet "Materialists" is strangely designed like a romantic-comedy without actually using the formula, leaving us puzzled by what exactly is this film trying to be?
Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is a professional matchmaker who works for the dating service, Adore. And while she's very good at her job, Lucy is perfectly content being single herself with no interest in a relationship, having decided that if she ever marries, it will be to a man with a lot of money. During the wedding of her ninth successful match, Lucy meets Harry (Pedro Pascal), the groom's brother. Rich, attractive and captivating yet still single, Lucy only sees a potential new client. But Harry wants to go on a date with her which she promptly declines. After managing to get Lucy to go out with him, Harry seduces her with his considerable charm and financial assets that leads them to a romantic connection.
Also at the wedding, Lucy runs into her ex-boyfriend, John (Chris Evans), a struggling actor who is working as a caterer at the reception. They hadn't seen each other in some time since they broke-up and as they reconnect, the attraction is still quite palpable. During their five years together, Lucy and John were both trying to be actors yet she gave up on that profession and the relationship, deciding she no longer wanted to struggle and fight about money. And while this still remains true for Lucy, she begins to consider that money might not be the only solution to a perfect partnership.
I have heard some refer to "Materialists" as a romantic-comedy yet there's not a single joke nor comedic moment to be found in the film. What I think might lead people to believe this drama could be labeled as a rom-com is "Materialists" delivers the familiar trappings of the genre; ridiculously attractive people with a vast amount of wealth who are unable to find love with the ideal match, living in a New York presented with a glossy sheen (shot by Shabier Kirchner who also filmed Song's debut feature) that anyone who has ever been to the city knows does not exist. In fact, Carrie Bradshaw and her pals would fit quite comfortably in this world. This film would have actually benefited with a few pointed laughs and greater sense of fun, with the story at times becoming overwrought and far too somber. There is one disturbing, traumatic moment that happens to one of Lucy's clients, shifting the tone enough that nearly derails the film. But "Materialists" manages to recover enough to get us back on track to it's main objective with a stern yet light-hearted examination of love connections.
I have previously expressed my thoughts on the performative abilities of Ms. Johnson but I will just say that while the actress does deliver a serviceable performance here, she does not display the magnetic presence required that would have us believe that these two men would do almost anything to win her over. Evans and Pascal have built their careers as actors who captivate with their considerable charms and they do not disappoint here, creating some sense of chemistry with the woman in the middle.
"Materialists" might be a somewhat, dark drama in rom-com clothing yet still captures the difficulties of dating and relationships in these modern times with a light hearted touch. The film offers thoughtful and thought-provoking views about the contractual nature of marriage and calling out the silly notion that monetary comfort is not that important in a relationship as long as you have love. It reveals that because men don't want to marry a woman over thirty and a woman won't even consider dating a man under six feet tall is exactly why there's so many lonely, single people out there misguided in feeling that the use a matchmaker will actually help them find a potential partner.
Where & When: AMC The Grove 14, Los Angeles, CA. April 12, 2025 10:00 PM
On the surface, "The Amateur" might appear to be your standard-issue, espionage action-thriller. Yet this rousing, fast-paced film, directed by James Hawes, best known for his work in British television, offers more emotional elements than are usually found in this genre. Rami Malek, the Oscar-winner for his strutting turn as rock star, Freddie Mercury in "Bohemian Rhapsody", stars as a highly intelligent CIA decoder who suffers an unimaginable tragedy and when he feels not enough is being done to capture the perpetrators, he's determined to take matters in his own hands.
Charlie Heller (Malek) is seeing his wife, Sarah (Rachel Brosnahan) off on a business trip to London before he heads to work at the CIA. As a meticulous cryptographer, he discovers that his boss, Deputy Director Alex Moore (Holt McCallany) has been secretly involved in covering up planned drone strikes as suicide bombings. When he's called in to the office of the CIA Director (Julianne Nicholson), assuming it's regarding his restricted investigation, Charlie is informed that Sarah has been killed by a terrorist group.
Devastated and barely able to function, the grieving Charlie soon becomes consumed with vengeance. After doing his own investigation, narrowing down the suspects who were involved in his wife's murder, he presents his findings to Moore and his deputy, Caleb Horowitz (Danny Sapani). Telling him they're going to wait in order to take down their entire network, Charlie threatens to reveal the information he discovered unless Moore helps him train to hunt down these terrorists. He's reluctantly sent off to a CIA facility to train with Col. Robert Henderson (Laurence Fishburne) while they search Charlie's home trying to track down the classified files he's hidden. Henderson determines that Charlie might be highly skilled with intel but he's no killer. But Charlie doesn't let that stop him, heading to Europe alone with the goal to find the people responsible and create his own version of revenge.
This is not the first time "The Amateur", based on a novel by Robert Littell, has been made as a film. It was first adapted back in 1981 as a Canadian feature directed by Charles Jarrott and starring John Savage, Christopher Plummer, and Marthe Keller. This modestly budgeted production received mediocre reviews and didn't make much of an impression at the box-office.
The new version of "The Amateur" is a pumped-up, Hollywood affair, taking us on an international scenic trip throughout several European cities, expertly shot by German cinematographer, Martin Ruhe. The detailed intrigue and exhilarating action sequences might be the driving force of the film but it is the strong character development and deeper human connections that help elevate this thriller beyond the expected beats of this style of film. Far from anybody's idea of an action star, Malek comes across believably as just an average tech guy, distraught, angry and ready to take matters into his own hands, knowing he's in way over his head yet remains determined to use his wits to see his preposterous mission through to the end.
While the plot might be formulaic and a bit overcooked, "The Amateur" is a well-crafted, thrilling adventure that keeps you fully engaged throughout the mind-boggling twists and turns. Between the shootings and explosions, the film gets extra points for creating heartfelt moments by characters you actually care about.
Where & When: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. March 10, 2025 3:40 PM
For the follow-up to his Best Picture Oscar-winning film, "Parasite, the South Korean filmmaker, Bong Joon Ho has continued exploring social themes involving class and politics with "Mickey 17". But this dark comedy travels deep into the future and set in an English-language, new-fashioned world. Since this is an absurdist fantasy, although with a heavy critique on our current political landscape, Bong lets his imagination run wild, creating a bleak, chaotic and wacky environment that remains thoroughly entertaining.
When we first met the seventeenth "reprinted" version of Mickey (played by a game Robert Pattinson), he prepares to meet his end once again after falling in an ice cave and about to be devoured by alien creature. Explaining how he ended up in this predicament, Mickey had signed up to leave an increasingly uninhabitable Earth as crewmember for a spaceship traveling to colonize the planet, Niflheim. But he also had another reason to get off the planet quickly as he and his friend, Timo (Steven Yeun) made a bad business deal and owe some nefarious men a lot of money they are unable to pay back.
While Timo is brought on board as a crew pilot, Mickey, failing to read the fine print, signed on as an "expendable worker". What this entails is that Mickey is essentially used as a human Guinea pig to test how the body will react to the foreign pathogens found on this new planet which will help doctors create cures and vaccines. This will also lead to a lethal demise for Mickey. But he is continuously regenerated as a photocopy of himself yet with memories of his former lives still firmly intact.
Since his first feature, "플란다스의 개 (Barking Dogs Never Bite)", released over twenty-five years ago, Bong has always injected his wickedly perverse yet playfully offbeat sense of humor throughout his films. Based on the novel, "Mickey7" by Edward Ashton, Bong freely strays from that writer's narrative, exploring deeper into the cost of capitalism while keeping the tone of "Mickey 17" tense yet hilariously silly. There is a jumble of genres at play here and the clashing of sci-fi, horror and slapstick comedy isn't always effective. Yet Bong is a gifted visionary with a provocative style, managing to keep this discordant tale engaging much of the time.
The last time we saw Pattinson on screen, he was playing the grim, costumed crime-fighter in "The Batman. With "Mickey 17", the actor reveals his less-seen, comedic gifts as the sweet yet incredibly dim, slack-jawed lab rat, reminding us once again of Pattinson's impressive range as a performer. It turns out that the planet's creatures in the cave had no interest in bringing harm to Mickey, actually helping him out of the icy cavern. He manages to make it back to the space station but since it was assumed that he was a goner, a Mickey 18 has been created. Yet while this new Mickey might look the same, he is far more astute and aggressive than the previous version. Since the rule is that there cannot not be multiples of any "expendable" existing at the same time, "18" tries to kill "17" but the former Mickey manages to convince the new clone that they would be better off working together and sharing duties. And Mickey's girlfriend, Nasha (Naomi Ackie), who also happens to be one of the ship's security agents, is thrilled to enjoy the benefits of having two variants of the same man.
Even in a new ecosystem, there is always someone who wants to grab hold on to power, forcing their will and use it for their own self-serving needs while convincing the population that it's for their best interest. Here we have Kenneth Marshall (Mark Ruffalo), an ego-fueled, failed politician along with his Lady Macbeth, Ylfa (Toni Collette) clinging closely as a bug in his ear to guide her less sharp husband.
Their plan involves eliminating all of the native species on the planet (with Ylfa considering their tails a delicacy to be used for special sauces she's creating), calling them "creepers" and assuming they are nothing more than brainless creatures. However Mickey is aware they are far from unintelligent, with each alien being able to communicate with each other cerebrally. The two Mickeys are discovered following 18's attempt to assassinate the fascist Marshall. As punishment, they are forced out (with bombs strapped to their bodies to make sure they comply) to collect more creatures for their tails while the creatures are swarming the space station trying to rescue two held captive.
"Mickey 17" might not be considered one of Bong's masterworks, it's far too broad and unwieldy narratively speaking. But with striking camerawork by the great Darius Khondji (who also shot Bong's 2017 sci-fi fantasy, "Okja"), captivating visual effects and impressive performances, the film succeeds in taking us on weird, wild thrilling adventure.
Where & When: Landmark Theatres Sunset, West Hollywood, CA. December 25, 2024 10:00 PM
Bob Dylan has been known as a rock and roll poet, a musical artist who was able to intuitively use the social and political upheaval that was beginning to happen at the time in the early 1960's and capture it into an momentous anthem. His thoughtful and uplifting words would go on to make a deep connection with his youthful peers. Beginning with his arrival to New York's Greenwich Village, rumpled, eccentric and essentially homeless, Dylan found inspiration all around him. And while many people didn't know what to make of this peculiar individual, they did realize he was an exceptionally, gifted talent. With "A Complete Unknown", James Mangold's riveting biopic, the film traces this brief period of Dylan making a powerful impact on folk music and how this crushing fame made him want to explore another musical avenue, much to the emphatic objections by folk purists.
The initial reason Dylan (Timothée Chalamet) had come to New York was to seek out his musical hero, Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy) who was suffering from a neurodegenerative disease and convalescing at a psychiatric hospital. After sneaking in to the hospital late one evening, Dylan finds Guthrie, no longer able to communicate verbally, and his good friend, Pete Seeger (Edward Norton). He performs a song he wrote that was inspired by Guthrie, making a deep impression on them. An intrigued Seeger, who was also a prominent musician of folk music and social activist, invites the young vagabond to stay with him and his family until he can get settled in the city.
Seeger has Dylan perform at open mics, introduces him to other musicians and industry figures which created a swirl of interest around the fledgling performer. Albert Grossman (Dan Fogler) leaps at the chance to manage Dylan and helped get him signed to Columbia, still one of the biggest record labels on the planet. For his self-titled debut album in 1962, the producer, John Hammond (David Alan Basche) insisted Dylan should record mostly covers of traditional folk and blues songs. This album only sold modestly but while on tour, audiences responded well to Dylan's original compositions, encouraging Hammond to allow him to record them for his follow-up album.
Mangold is well known as a proficiently versatile filmmaker, dabbling in various genres throughout his career and excelling at many of them. He has worked his magic on dramas ("Girl, Interrupted"), romantic-comedies ("Kate & Leopold"), comic-book adventures ("Logan") and action-thrillers ("Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny"). And while some where not major box-office hits, these films had been expertly crafted and efficiently stimulating. Mangold had made a musical bio previously, taking on the life of country music legend, Johnny Cash (played by Joaquin Phoenix) and his love affair with fellow performer, June Carter in "Walk The Line". This drama received five Academy Award nominations with Reese Witherspoon winning for Best Actress. Cash makes an appearance in "A Complete Unknown" (played here by Boyd Holbrook) who connects with Dylan first as a fan and later as a confidant.
The script by Mangold and Jay Cocks is not entirely successful in escaping the overly familiar beats of the Hollywood-styled biopic yet the solid direction and compelling, intimate performances help make this film a rewarding experience. Not surprisingly, music plays a strong part of "A Complete Unknown", effectively energizing the film with thrilling full-length performances of some of Dylan's greatest songs sung by Chalamet. The actor perfectly captures the essence of Dylan; a midwestern enigma who allowed people to only get so close to him, revealing as little about himself as possible and making up the rest. And while Chalamet's singing doesn't sound much like the musician, he does manage to find the emotional force of each song performed.
Dylan was consumed with getting each song just right, largely shutting out the world during his laser-focused, creative process. And while the world would benefit greatly by his passionate drive, the people who where closest to him would suffer the most by his lack of consideration. He first met Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro), a popular folk singer, following one of her performances. Having dismissed him after he clumsily flirted with her, Dylan captured her attention once seeing him on stage much like the rest of the audience. Baez would record some of his songs and these temperamental musical artists would begin an on-again, off-again affair, made more complicated because he was living with Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning). Based on Dylan's real-life girlfriend, Suze Rotolo (who he had requested for this character's name to be changed), Russo was a New York born activist who influenced him on politics, art and music and ended up being on the cover with him on his second album, "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan". But once she had to start sharing him with the world, Sylvie began to feel less important in their relationship and Dylan didn't do nearly enough to reassure her.
The real drama in the film occurs after Dylan achieves great fame a few years later, abandoning his casual look of jeans and work shirts and taking on a more upscale, leather-clad style of a rock & roller. He would begin to chafe under the never ending glare by an adoring public and took on wearing black sunglasses, day and night, using them as a shield against constant prying eyes. It was also during this time Dylan started experimenting musically with the electric guitar during the recording of his next album. Word spread to the committee of the Newport Folk Festival who grow concerned since Dylan is supposed to headline their next event and strongly opposed to anyone deviating from the theme.
I'll admit I have never been much of a fan of the music by Bob Dylan, not really connecting to any of his songs and finding his nasal singing voice to be grating. But "A Complete Unknown" has certainly opened my eyes to recognize and appreciate what Dylan brought to music and the culture, expanding the idea of what a pop song can achieve through reflective, artistic expression. His vocal abilities may have been limited yet he was able to communicate through his colorful lyrics in a way that was distinctive and original.
Since his breakthrough with the indie drama, "Sex, Lies, and Videotape" way back in 1989, Steven Soderbergh has always had some of the best and intriguing actors appearing in his films. For his thirty-sixth feature film, Soderbergh has impressively teamed-up Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett in "Black Bag", a thrilling spy drama. They play married British intelligence agents, George and Kathryn Woodhouse. When Kathryn is under investigation for betraying their country, George must struggle between loyalty to his marriage or to the commonwealth. There are elements here that bring to mind the dark action-comedy, "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" that also featured two physically stunning actors, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie but "Black Bag" appears to be far less humorous and intensely violent. Regé-Jean Page, Marisa Abela, Naomie Harris and Pierce Brosnan also star.
"Black Bag" is due in US theaters on March 14, 2025
Where & When: TIFF: Visa Screening Room at Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto, Ontario Canada September 10, 2024 11:30 AM
Available to stream now on Netflix
The French filmmaker, Jacques Audiard began his career as a screenwriter, co-writing over ten feature films before moving behind the camera. His first feature, "Regarde les hommes tomber (See How They Fall)" in 1993 was well-received, earning the director three César Awards (France's Oscars) including for Best First Work. Audiard's subsequent features are bold and daring works that would go on to be critically acclaimed internationally and award-winning with him collecting eleven César Awards to date and winning the top prize of the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015. While most of his films would be contemporary and set in his native country, Audiard would recently become a cinematic world traveler, creating works further outside from his own experiences. First, there was "Dheepan" (which won the Palme d'Or) involving a Sri Lankan soldier during the country's civil war who creates a new identity in order to securely achieve political asylum in France. Then he ventured to America with his first English-language film, "The Sisters Brothers", a nineteenth century western about assassin-for-hire brothers in search of gold.
With his latest, "Emilia Pérez" (a Jury Prize winner at this year's Cannes), a story set in Mexico about a male drug-dealer who transitions into a female, Audiard continues to goes further into transcending our expectations of cinematic storytelling. An unconventional yet riveting melodrama that catches you by surprise, managing to be equally captivating and disturbing.
Our story begins with Rita Castro (Zoe Saldaña), a defense attorney in the middle of a murder trial uncomfortably defending someone she knows is guilty. After winning the case, she is approached with a mysterious proposition by an anonymous client. The client turns out to be Juan Del Monte, a notorious cartel kingpin known as "Manitas" (Karla Sofía Gascón) who wants her help arranging for him to have surgery to change his gender. Learning about his years of struggling with his gender identity, Rita agrees to this strange yet lucrative offer. After finding the right doctors to discreetly perform the operation, her final task is to move Del Monte's wife, Jessi (Selena Gomez) with their two children to Switzerland for their safety before she learns that her husband has "died".
A few years later, Rita runs into a woman at a dinner party in London who is also from Mexico. It is "Manitas" who has been reborn as "Emilia Pérez" (also played by Gascón) and is insisting on Rita's help once again. Desperately missing her family, Emilia wants Rita to bring Jessi back to Mexico City under the guise that she is her husband's distant cousin wanting to help her raise the children. Skeptical yet wanting to return to Mexico, Jessi agrees to this plan.
While happy to be reunited with her family, Emilia is confronted by her criminal past and that guilt leads to her beginning a non-profit to help identify the bodies of cartel victims, some she may have been directly responsible for their murders. One woman, Epifanía (Adriana Paz) is contacted by Emilia when the remains of her missing husband have been identified. But she's shocked when Epifanía is simply relieved that her abusive husband is actually dead. They begin a friendship which surprisingly turns romantic.
Did I mention that "Emilia Pérez" is also a musical? Audiard unexpectedly uses song (French composer, Clément Ducol and pop musician, Camille Dalmais co-wrote the music) and dance (Damien Jalet choreographed) to heighten the already compelling dramatic narrative. But unlike the recent comic-book sequel, "Joker: Folie à Deux" which added musical numbers to the dark drama that came across as a labored effect, the original songs here perfectly captures each character's anguished fears, secret pain and burning desires.
The Spanish-born Gascón came out as trans in 2018 after performing as an actor for many years in Mexico as Juan Carlos Gascón. Capturing the shrewd menace of "Manitas" while revealing a somewhat softer antagonist as Emilia, the actress convinces in this dual role, commanding the screen with a mesmerizing presence. It would seem she has used some of her own personal experiences into her performance, sharing with her character the challenges of transitioning in order to live authentically.
The veteran Saldaña, who has made her name with her Hollywood work in the sc-fi franchise films, "Avatar", "Star Trek" and "Guardians of the Galaxy", has an opportunity to reveal another side of herself as a performer. Starting off her career wanting to do ballet, she had to abandon this dream by not having the feet for this highly technical form of dance. But Saldaña would make her film debut as a ballet student in "Center Stage" back in 2000. She dazzles here, singing and dancing as a lawyer caught in a moral compromise between wanting to help make a better society and defending the criminal element.
Gomez might be better known as a pop singer but she began as a child actress finding fame on the Disney Channel and more recently has impressed with her comedic turn in the series, "Only Murder in the Building". Playing against type, Gomez is completely convincing as the pampered, bleach-blond mob wife who's grasping at whatever she can in order to survive. Along with Paz, these diverse actresses also shared a well-deserved prize for Best Actress at this year's Cannes Film Festival, working together seamlessly.
When Jessi starts up an affair with Gustavo (Édgar Ramírez), she wants to marry him and move away with the children. An enraged Emilia refuses to allow her to take them, leading to a violently explosive, bombastic finale. Operatic at it's core, "Emilia Pérez" is a visually striking fantasia rooted in a realistic milieu. The mix of genres may not always mesh together seamlessly throughout the film but Audiard has been a cinematic craftsman who desires to provoke and challenge, completely uninterested in easy convention. Wildly audacious and thrillingly entertaining, "Emilia Pérez" is absolutely one of my favorite films I've seen this year.
"Woman of the Hour", the feature directorial debut by actress, Anna Kendrick, examines Rodney Alcala who went on a horrifying, murder spree throughout the 1970's, killing numerous, innocent women before finally being caught and convicted in 1980. But it's his brazen appearance on the popular television program, "The Dating Game" where he was a contestant in search of potential date that is the focus of this film. Kendrick plays the game show bachelorette who falls for his slippery charm yet grows more uneasy with Alcala as she speaks to him at length. The compelling yet uneven "Woman of the Hour" may fall under the true-crime stories that are wildly popular right now yet this film's real aim is to sharply address how casual sexism and systemic misogyny, which was never questioned nor considered during this time, allowed Alcala's murderous rampage to continue far longer than it really should have.
Kendrick plays Cheryl Bradshaw, a nice, midwestern girl who has come to Los Angeles to try and make it as an actor. After many failed auditions and money running out, Cheryl tells her agent she might have to give up her dream and move back home. But the agent convinces a reluctant Cheryl to appear on "The Dating Game", proclaiming that Sally Field got her big break after appearing on the program. When Cheryl arrives for the live taping of the show, the pompous host, Ed Burke (Tony Hale) is unimpressed, having the crew put her in something that will make appear more appealing.
As she queries each of the scripted questions to the three bachelors hidden behind a partition, their answers aren't igniting many magical sparks between them and the bachelorette, potentially creating a dull episode of television. During a commercial break, a make-up artist suggests to Cheryl she should come up with some better questions and she proceeds to do just that. This begins lively and challenging conversation between Cheryl and these contestants, much to Burke's displeasure, which leaves only one clear choice for the bachelorette. And that selection was unfortunately Alcala, played by Daniel Zovatto, who manages to find the right balance between being charmingly smooth, emotionally sensitive and frightfully deranged.
While "Woman of the Hour" is based on actual events, much of this story here has been fictionalized including most of the characters and what happened during and after Alcala's appearance on "The Dating Game". Some of the reasoning for these changes were to protect the known victims and (which tends to be common in these fact based movies) to heighten the narrative for dramatic effect.
One clear moment of this action is the appearance of an invented character named Laura (played by Nicolette Robinson) who is in the audience during the taping of the show and recognizes Alcala as the man she is certain killed her friend after they met him on a beach. As she frantically tries to get ahold of anyone connected to the show, Laura is essentially dismissed with no one willing to take her seriously. This seemed to be on-going problem in real-life as many people tried to get the police to look at Alcala over the years yet their pleas would fall on deaf ears. He was even arrested for assaulting two girls but would later be released on parole, allowing him to continue his reign of terror.
As a first time director, Kendrick displays great promise behind the camera. She and her cinematographer, Zach Kuperstein perfectly captures the mood and vibe of sunny Los Angeles during this era, filling the screen with warm lighting and kitschy style. Kendrick also delivers a fine performance as Bradshaw, revealing her struggles, like many women of this time, with feeling obligated in appeasing unworthy, boorish men and standing ground in her own agency without giving in to the strong urge to submit to their desires. Intercut throughout the film, we see flashbacks of Alcala setting up some of the crimes he would go on to commit. He met these young women under several circumstances, usually complementing them and pretending to simply want to photograph them. Then after driving the woman to a far, secluded area and when they are comfortable and at their most vulnerable, Alcala assaults, tortures and ultimately kills his victim.
Kendrick does not explicitly detail or reveal the actual murders, preferring to keep the violence largely off screen. The focus seemed intended to be on the lives of these victims yet we still don't really get a clear enough view of who these women were, with these scenes being far too brief and at times the crimes seem too much like a set up for a slasher film which I'm certain is not the filmmaker's intention.
Artfully conceived and effectively suspenseful, "Woman of the Hour" is an admirable first film by Kendrick. While this drama isn't entirely cohesive in it's narrative execution due to its fractured structure, the film remains a potent thriller, crackling with deep-seated tension and driven by top-notch performances. I'm looking forward in seeing what Kendrick will do next as a director.
Where & When: Landmark Theatres Sunset, West Hollywood, CA. September 20, 2024 8:15 PM
"The Substance", the sophomore feature from French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat, is a hyper-stylized, pitch-black feminist satire on aging and the low value placed on maturing women in society. But Fargeat pumps up her engaging film by utilizing body horror to convey the extremes that women will go through to maintain their youth and beauty. Between the blood and mayhem, the director has something quite intriguing to say. And while the message is clearly understood, it tends to get a little too muddled through all of the excessive gross-out carnage.
Demi Moore, in her first prominent starring role in some time, plays Elizabeth Sparkle, an award-winning actress in Los Angeles that has been reduced to having to appear as a host of a television fitness show called, "Sparkle Your Life". But following a taping on her fiftieth birthday, Elizabeth is informed by Harvey (Dennis Quaid), a boorish studio executive, that it's time for her to move on, making it clear he's looking for someone younger to host. Devastated by this news, a distracted Elizabeth ends up getting into a car crash. She is uninjured but while getting checked out, a young male nurse, sensing what she's going through, slips a flash drive and phone number into her pocket.
What is discreetly being offered is an experimental drug called, "The Substance" which promises to create a younger and more "perfect" version of yourself. Elizabeth initially rejects the idea but as she spends her newly free time wallowing in booze and her increasing anxiety, she decides to get her hands on this serum. After injecting herself, a fully formed, young being (played by Margaret Qualley) emerges from Elizabeth's cracked open back, leaving the host unconscious while the other is left to sew Elizabeth's body shut. This new form calls herself "Sue", enjoying her youthful body and successfully getting hired back as the host of the exercise program.
But there are strict rules that must be followed: each body can only be out for seven days before exchanging places so that their bodily fluids can recalibrate, they must feed each other intravenously; a "stabilizer" is to be withdrawn from Elizabeth's spine and injected into Sue in order to keep her balanced and most importantly, they must remember that while they are two separate bodies, they are still only one person.
Fargeat was first recognized for her 2017 debut feature film, "Revenge", about a young woman who is sexually attacked by three men and left for dead but she survives and seeks bloody retribution. While it was difficult to sit through at times, I still greatly admired the director's brutal yet razor-sharp cinematic statement. And with her follow-up, Fargeat continues to have no interest in subtlety, preferring to batter viewers severely over the head with her gruesome, surrealistic vision and unsettling themes. She is clearly inspired by fellow filmmakers who embrace the provocative and experimental (Kubrick, Cronenberg, Lynch, Haneke) and with "The Substance", Fargeat liberally borrows visual cues from some of these esteemed directors while still managing to forge ahead with her own distinctively ferocious style. The flashy camerawork by Benjamin Kracun is designed to keep you feeling unsteady, offering full-screen close-ups of eyes and mouths, darting down long narrow hallways, entering vast spare rooms and one particularly unpleasant moment of watching Quaid eating crawfish.
Moore's career took off when she became part of the ensemble of the daytime soap-opera, "General Hospital" in 1982. The following year, she moved on to movie roles, becoming a member of the Brat Pack after her appearances in "St. Elmo's Fire" and "About Last Night...". But it was Moore's tear soaked, moving turn in the 1990 supernatural romance, "Ghost" that helped make her a movie star. She became part of a Hollywood power couple when she married Bruce Willis, starred in several box-office hits and went on to become the highest paid female actor (receiving over twelve million dollars) in 1996 to appear in the movie, "Striptease". But this black comedy was a critical and box-office failure and her marriage to Willis came to an end not long after with Moore largely retreating from the spotlight. She would make the occasional film appearance over the following years, mostly in indie and arthouse fare.
With "The Substance", Moore delivers a bold and fearless performance, revealing herself completely emotionally and physically. She doesn't have much dialogue yet the actress rises to the challenge of expressing all of the anguish, fear and intense desires of Elizabeth, even through moments later in the film when she's no longer recognizable as her former self. And as her other half, Qualley is a compelling presence, a sweetly smiling, malevolent version of Elizabeth with a dark-edged soul. Elizabeth and "Sue" might share the same body however they display vastly different personality traits. While this variance might possibly be due to their age-gap yet over time this conflict leads to complications. Being young and impulsive, Sue begins to abuse the seven day rule, extending her time awake, at first just a few days and then later by weeks, which causes Elizabeth's actual body to age more rapidly.
I will admit that by the time we reach the final act, with the introduction of a third being called "Monstro Elisasue" which leads to an explosive shower of blood, gore and body parts flying in all directions from a stage onto an audience, it felt a little too much, becoming even more silly and excessive. But that's okay. This doesn't take away from "The Substance" being one of the most thrilling, adventurous and uncompromising films I've seen so far this year.
I can also say with complete certainty that no US filmmaker, male or female, would have made "The Substance", at least not in a way that wasn't far more cautious and focused on appealing to the widest audience possible. Fargeat (who actually shot the film in Paris) has made a clever, biting and humorous commentary on the horrors of America's obsession with eternal youth and the emotional torture this causes, especially for women. "The Substance" is absolutely insane and twisted. Yet the film also reveals Fargeat to be a true visionary, a modern filmmaker who respects the historical artform of cinema with no interest in making films that are easily digestible and a strong desire to challenge viewers to open their minds to unexpected and outrageous possibilities.
I can't believe this year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the live television, comedy sketch program, "Saturday Night Live". I am old enough to remember when this show premiered and although I didn't see the first episode at the time, I did begin to watch it regularly not long after. And ever since that very first televised show, when the sketches work, they are uproariously, laugh-out loud funny. However when a skit fails to coalesce, it can be agonizingly painful to sit through. But that is exactly what's makes "SNL" so great; it's a completely wild and unpredictable comedy show.
Jason Reitman has made a new film, "Saturday Night" which highlights all the unbelievably crazy and chaotic events that led to that first broadcast on October 11, 1975, originally called "NBC's Saturday Night". Gabriel LaBelle ("The Fabelmans") plays Lorne Michaels, the Canadian-born comedy writer who creates the idea of the late show performed live in front of a studio audience with producer, Dick Ebersol (Cooper Hoffman) that they bring to the network. We witness all of the problems of getting the show ready to air that include deciding on the tone of show with his writers, wrangling his inexperienced yet talented cast of comedians dubbed "the not-ready-for-prime-time players" and convincing a skeptical NBC programing chief, David Tebet (Willem Dafoe) that the program should even make it to broadcast .
"Saturday Night" is due in US theaters on October 11, 2024
Where & When: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. June 23, 2024 4:20 PM
Inspired by the 1968 photo journal by Danny Lyon, writer/director Jeff Nichols takes us into the compelling world of a Chicago outlaw motorcycle club with "The Bikeriders". First formed by some suburban men who loved to ride together, drawing attention to other riders which helped expand the group across the country. They had their own code of conduct and specific lifestyle yet over time a more violent and criminal element entered the gang, shifting from the playful camaraderie of a social club into the ruthless dogma of a organized crime outfit. Filled with explosive moments and captivating imagery, this riveting film traces the history of these easy riders during the brief height of their infamous popularity in the culture.
Lyon (played here by Mike Faist) had gained the trust of members of the Vandals MC (which is based on the actual Outlaws Motorcycle Club in Illinois), allowing him entry into their exclusive club. One of his key interviews is with a person who would be considered an outsider of the Vandals yet still very much part of the gang. Kathy (Jodie Comer) recalls to Lyon how she first became involved with these bikers after meeting the brooding, charismatic member, Benny (Austin Butler) at a seedy bar. After locking eyes with him, Kathy's life changed almost in an instant; leaving behind her nice yet boring, long-time boyfriend and marrying Benny five months later. But this also meant, much to her dismay, that the Vandals would become an extension to their marriage.
The leader of the Vandals is Johnny Davis (Tom Hardy) who founded the gang after seeing a leather-geared, Marlon Brando on a Harley in the film, "The Wild One". A family man with a wife and children, Johnny rules his bikers much like he does at home with tough love and demanding they follow his decisions without question. There isn't much of a plot to follow, largely just detailing the typical routine of the Vandals which really only involves them riding their hogs, engaging in loud, riotous banter and drinking endless beers in a bar, usually leading to finishing the day with somebody getting involved in a vicious brawl.
But at the heart of "The Bikeriders" is a sort-of love triangle involving Kathy and Johnny each trying to win in a battle to secure their place with the remote, Benny. After getting seriously injured during a fight at a bar, almost losing his foot, Kathy attempts to convince her husband to slow down following his surgery while Johnny is wanting him get out to participate in a motorcycle rally. And certain that he's the only one the other bikers would even consider following, Johnny tries to talk Benny into succeeding him as leader. But they both fail to realize that Benny refuses to be controlled, unpersuaded by other people's desires and needs regardless of how he feels about them.
"The Bikeriders" is the first film in about seven years from Nichols, the creator behind the small-scale dramas with expansive viewpoints, typically set in the South where he is from, that include "Take Shelter", "Mud" and "Loving". Since first seeing this book, Nichols had been trying for about twenty years to find a way to turn it into a feature film, settling on creating characters based on the real-life subjects in the book. The film captures an authentic environment of time and place during the late '60's and early 1970's thanks to the production design by Chad Keith. The camera work by Adam Stone sets a proper mood, recreating the specific style and accelerated energy of the photos in Lyon's book.
The Vandals (which includes Norman Reedus and Michael Shannon appearing as bikers) are made-up of the expected arch types; chaotic and precarious men with restless spirits seeking freedom and adventure on the open road while riding a Harley-Davidson. While some do have jobs and family, they live mostly without commitment to anybody but themselves.
As for the women in their lives, occasionally sitting on the back of a bike or participating in rider gatherings, they typically remain in the background, stoically waiting for their men to eventually return home to them. The only substantial female voice in this film is Kathy, who fearlessly shares her thoughts on these guys and will aggressively push back against their macho postering when needed. Much has been made about the Midwestern accent she uses here yet regardless of it's accuracy, the British-born Comer perfectly captures the fiery soul of this woman, delivering another powerful performance. Not called on to do much more than glower and smolder, Butler remains very effective as Benny, proving with his Oscar-nominated performance as Elvis Presley and his menacing turn in "Dune: Part Two" that he certainly has the potential to become the next major movie star. And Hardy, who has spent most of the last few years playing Venom, the Marvel super-hero antagonist in those awful movies, is always a welcome presence on screen and nice to see playing a human being again.
"The Bikeriders" recalls a generation of working class men rebelling against the status quo by driving their own path through life. Some of these men were damaged, coming from broken homes but they all searched for a sense of family which they found together on the open road. The ideology of the bikers transformed following the end of the Vietnam War. These new riders who joined had their views and priorities severely altered after seeing so much destruction and death. The world had changed and society had abandoned them, with some even viewing these veterans as the enemy. Now being part of a gang of rebels had taken on a whole new meaning.
The latest addition of a family involved in filmmaking are the Eggers brothers. Currently, Robert is the most well-known as the writer and director behind the films, "The Witch", "The Lighthouse" and "The Northman". His brothers have been participating in the creative process with him; Max co-wrote "The Lighthouse" and Sam worked as a production assistant on Robert's first feature, "The Witch". Now these two Eggers brothers have teamed-up to make their own directorial debut with "The Front Room", a psychological thriller based on the short story by Susan Hill.
While Robert is known for his eerie films that are historically set in the distant past with mythological context, Max and Sam are working in the contemporary world yet still within the realm of horror. Their story follows a young couple, played by Brandy and Andrew Burnap, who are expecting their first child. Due to circumstances and financial opportunity, they take in his stepmother, Solange (Kathryn Hunter) to live with them. Not only does she turn out to be very demanding and ornery but Solange also claims that a holy spirit has taken over her, giving her powers that she's is not using for good deeds. With elements of "Get Out" and "Rosemary's Baby", "The Front Room" touches on the disturbing legacy of racism in this country while delivering creepy, supernatural chills.
"The Front Room" is due in US theaters on September 6, 2024
As for Robert, he also has a new film set to be released later this year on Christmas Day with "Nosferatu". It is a new retelling of the classic vampire fable created by Bram Stoker in 1897 and was originally made as the German Expressionist silent film by F.W. Murnau a little over one hundred years ago. This has long been a passion project for Eggers and while it does appear he has nodded to Murnau's concepts, his film will clearly be his original vision of this gothic tale. The story involves a disturbed young woman (Lily-Rose Depp) that becomes the object of obsession by the mysterious and terrifying Count Orlok, played by Bill Skarsgård with the Swedish actor seeming to have become the go-to-guy to take on dark, creepy characters from Pennywise in the "It" films to the upcoming reboot of "The Crow". Nicholas Hoult, Emma Corrin, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Willem Dafoe also star.
"Nosferatu" is due in US theaters on December 25, 2024
Where & When: AMC The Grove, Los Angeles, CA. April 16, 2024 9:00 PM
We are in an election year which means that some American citizens will be hyped up to actively voice which side of the political spectrum they happen to fall on. At one time, not so long ago, a person's politics used to be held close to the vest. But now, not only have people become more aggressively vocal on their views, they feel some inexplicable need to vilify their party rivals to the frightening point of bloodshed.
"Civil War", the latest feature film from writer/director Alex Garland, is a compelling drama that explores the idea of the United States has once again fallen into a deadly conflict that has Americans fighting against fellow Americans over political disagreements. Full of intrigue, intense thrills and controversial observations, Garland paints a disturbing scenario that feels more probable than at any other time in our country's history.
Our story begins in the middle of this American civil war with the country divided into four sections which includes the odd pairing of an unified alliance between California and Texas called the Western Forces. We are not given much information in regards to how this conflict started beyond that the President (Nick Offerman) would not leave office, giving himself a third term, and his disbanding of the FBI.
Joel (Wagner Moura), a hot shot correspondent from Florida and the far more subdued, acclaimed photo journalist, Lee (Kirsten Dunst), are covering a large crowd pushing to get food aid in Brooklyn. A suicide bomber brings Lee into the path of Jessie (Cailee Spaeny), a young aspiring photographer. Realizing who she is, Jessie tries to connect but a weary Lee shuts it down, wishing her luck and sending the novice on her way.
Lee and Joel plan to head to Washington DC in order to get the final interview by the President before the district falls to the Western Forces. However, Lee, despite her protests against the idea, discovers that Joel has invited Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson), a veteran New Times Times reporter, and Jessie to join them on this treacherous road trip.
As they travel across the country, we witness what America has become during this battle. Through the burned out buildings, destroyed cars and decaying corpses, they encounter an armed, motley crew patrolling a gas station, purchasing fuel from them using more valuable Canadian dollars and remaining silent as they watch how they deal with apparent looters, a militia executing captured fellow Americans who were loyalist soldiers for the corrupt President and entering a small town with the residents living life as normal, uninvolved in this violent conflict although there are armed men on building rooftops.
Garland, who began his career as a novelist before turning to script writing ("28 Days Later", "Dredd") and then moving behind the camera with "Ex Machina" (still my favorite of his four feature films), is one of the more innovative filmmakers working in cinema today, using his literary gifts to enhance the less respected genres of action-adventure, horror and sci-fi. With "Civil War", he make an effort to remain objective, staying above the current partisan clash in the US, by keeping the focus of this action-thriller on the human element of the story involving our main characters.
As they proceed through their dangerous journey, these four professional colleges are forced to lean into each other for physical protection and emotional support. All of the performers are excellent but it's Dunst who draws us into this story, playing Lee as a hardened soul, a person who has seen so much death and destruction, that the arrival of Jessie begins to soften her spirit, reminding her of the ambition and doubts she had experienced in her early days as a photojournalist. But this also causes Lee to crack, slowly breaking down the protective wall she had erected which leads her down to the point of inertia.
The scene that is most talked about (and most disturbing) best encapsulates what the film is trying to convey. After Jessie is separated from her team and ends up in a car with a couple of fellow reporters, they are stopped by a menacing figure in red sunglasses armed with an assault rifle, played by an uncredited Jesse Plemons. Joel and Lee arrive to the area, surrounded by piles of bodies being dumped into a makeshift grave, trying to deescalate the situation. As this self-appointed judge questions each of them with "Where are you from?" and "What kind of American are you?", they soon realize that the potential wrong answer could cost them their lives.
This moment is terrifying, reeking of White supremacy and xenophobia, bringing into focus what could happen to our society if we continue to lose our compassion and humanity by only viewing people who disagree with us as a threatening, dangerous enemy. "Civil War" attempts to reveal in this vividly striking and extreme drama a bleak vision of a potential future if we continue down this destructive path of intolerance and a blind allegiance to political party affiliation.
Early next year, there will be not one but two thrillers involving lesbians on-the-run: one dark and treacherous and the other dark and wacky.
Ethan Coen, one half of the filmmaking team, the Coen Brothers, is about to release his first narrative feature film without his brother, Joel who made his own solo directorial debut with "The Tragedy of Macbeth" in 2021. "Drive-Away Dolls", co-written with his wife, Tricia Cooke, is a comedic road-trip caper. Margaret Qualley plays a young free spirit that has just ended a relationship with a girlfriend and looking for adventure. Geraldine Viswanathan is her more uptight friend who is ready to let loose. They get their wish when they take off on the road to Tallahassee. But their trip is interrupted when they end up getting mixed in with a group of menacing yet inept gangsters. Bill Camp, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal and Matt Damon also star. "Drive-Away Dolls" (which had the more interesting working title, "Drive-Away Dykes") was supposed to have been released last fall but was delayed due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
"Drive-Away Dolls" is due in US theaters on February 23, 2024
For the follow-up to her acclaimed horror-drama, "Saint Maud", the filmmaker Rose Glass returns with "Love Lies Bleeding", a gritty thriller with a touch of sweet romance. Kristen Stewart stars as Lou, a manager at a gym who becomes infatuated with a female bodybuilder (Katy O'Brian). But their love affair leads them into the crosshairs of Lou's criminal family lead by her father, played by Ed Harris. The film will make its world premiere at the Sundance Film Fest in January before reaching theaters in March.
"Love Lies Bleeding" is due in US theaters on March 8, 2024
Where & When: Los Feliz 3 Theatres, Los Angeles, CA. November 20, 2023 1:30 PM
Available to stream now on Netflix
"May December", the latest fascinating, transgressive work from filmmaker, Todd Haynes, looks at a relationship, deemed by many as highly inappropriate and disturbing due to the extreme age difference between the couple, years after their affair was revealed to the world in a shocking scandal. Yet the film becomes cleverly very meta as an actress arrives to study the participants in order to play the woman involved in this infamous case for an upcoming movie.
Arriving in Savannah, the actress, Elizabeth Berry (Natalie Portman) attends a festive gathering at the home of Gracie Atherton-Yoo (Julianne Moore) and her husband, Joe (Charles Melton). The couple's history goes back twenty-three years ago when a thirteen-year-old, Joe was hired to work part-time at a pet shop where Gracie, the thirty-six-year-old married mother of three children, also worked. They were caught having sex in the back of the store, leading to her arrest and Gracie having their first child while in prison.
Gracie and Joe seemed to have weathered the scandal, now living largely out of the public glare although they still occasionally receive packages filled with feces to their home. They are the parents to three children with their eldest, Honor (Piper Curda) attending college while the twins, Charlie (Gabriel Chung) and Mary (Elizabeth Yu) are preparing to graduate from high school.
With seemingly unlimited access and not wanting to waste any time, Elizabeth quickly begins her research, interviewing anybody willing to talk who are in the couple's orbit. And that seems to be everyone from Gracie's ex-husband (D. W. Moffett) to the son of the owner of the pet store and with Georgie (Cory Michael Smith), one of Gracie's older children who clearly is more troubled than his parents will acknowledge. But her real focus is on Joe, trying to connect with him through gentle persuasion and coy seduction.
Since his audacious debut with the queer-themed "Poison" over thirty years ago, Haynes has been a filmmaker who created works of cinema that were provocative and challenging. And while he has continued to make films with unconventional themes, audiences began to embrace his movies on a wider scale and even when he ventured into more commercial fare (the legal thriller, "Dark Waters", the HBO miniseries, "Mildred Pierce"), Haynes found a way to add his own distinctive style to the material. "May December" certainly is a subversive subject filled with his sense of wit and playfulness. And if this story sounds familiar, it should. Inspired by the Mary Kay Letourneau case, which involved this middle school teacher who began an intimate relationship with one of her students, Haynes has crafted his take as a cross between a Douglas Sirk styled melodrama and a modern "ripped-from-the headlines" tabloid exploitation. The film's score, adapted by Marcelo Zarvos from Michel Legrand's music for the 1971 British drama, "The Go-Between", is dramatic and jarring, intended to add even more offbeat tension to the story.
As an actress on a mission to learn all she can in order to perfectly inhabit this role, Portman's Elizabeth may appear laid-back and unassuming on the surface, yet she is alarmingly ruthless, unconcerned with the fallout from her reopening of old wounds or the potential damage that could come from her relentless pursuit. And while Gracie may come across as serene nurturer, offering warm smiles and a welcoming disposition, and defers to her husband to discipline the children, she keeps her family firmly under her control. The always reliable Moore skillfully plays her as unsteady with a complicated mixture of child-like impulsiveness and calculated manipulation. But the real revelation here is Melton who first received attention playing Reggie on the television series, "Riverdale". Struggling against spending most of his young life as a parent (coming across more like his children's brother than father) and unsure how to move forward as he approaches having an empty nest, the actor expertly captures the devastation this man-child goes through as he reflects on what he has missed out on and tries to have an honest discussion with his wife about their relationship. And while Elizabeth might be the most obvious in this triangle, all of them are delivering a performance, saying what they think people want to hear and, most telling, fearful that they might be caught publicly delivering a false line.
I went to see "May December" twice; the first time in a theater and the other on Netflix a few weeks later. The main reason for the repeat screening was largely because of all the recent chatter about the film being viewed as a comedy including the submission of "May December" into the musical/comedy categories for the Golden Globes. It didn't come across to me as a comedy after my first viewing and despite a few quirky moments and odd bits of offhand dialogue ("I don't think we have enough hot dogs") the film still never registered to me as much of an actual comedy, more of a drama with some comedic elements. The second viewing only reinforced my opinion that "May December" is a disquieting examination of a couple that has their long unresolved trauma and emotional conflicts together forced to the surface, after years of successfully keeping them buried, by the welcomed dramatic recreation of the problematic beginning of their relationship. Thoughtfully executed, expertly performed and yes, with moments of dark humor, Haynes has made "May December" into a mesmerizing film that has you riveted to the screen as unsettling secrets and confessions are gradually revealed yet also leaves you feeling extremely uncomfortable afterwards from this knowledge.
Where & Where: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. November 7, 2023 4:20 PM
Last year, Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis" brought the King of Rock & Roll's story to life in a kinetic, colorfully bombastic drama which went on to earn big box-office, eight Oscar nominations and made a star out of Austin Butler who delivered a dazzling performance as Presley. Priscilla Beaulieu, Presley's wife of six years, mother of his only child and longtime love since she was a teenager, appears in "Elvis" yet their romance is regulated into a minor subplot while the film largely focuses on the fraught relationship between Presley and his controlling manager, Colonel Tom Parker.
With "Priscilla", Sofia Coppola's captivating adaptation of Presley's 1985 memoir, "Elvis & Me", explores her version of events, capturing the loving, bewildering and highly traumatizing moments of her life involved with the "King". In 1959, a fourteen year old Priscilla (Cailee Spaeny) was living with her parents (Ari Cohen, Dagmara Domińczyk) in West Germany while her father was stationed there for the US Air Force. This was when she would meet Presley (Jacob Elordi) who is also stationed in Germany while serving in the army. Forced to put his blazing hot career on hold after being drafted, the twenty-four year old musician becomes infatuated with the young girl, leaving her parents unclear (and Priscilla herself) on what Presley really wants from their daughter. After convincing them that his intentions were purely honorable, Elvis began to see Priscilla, surprisingly unchaperoned. And Presley kept his word, stealing a few kisses and putting the brakes on when it began to get too heavy, and the relationship remained chaste.
Presley is soon discharged and returns to his career, promising to keep in touch with Priscilla. They would initially exchange letters but as time went on, his correspondence would become less frequent and soon stopped altogether. It would be two years later before Presley would contact Priscilla again, requesting her parents to allow her to visit Graceland, his home in Memphis. Once again reassuring them that their teenage daughter would be in safe hands, surrounded by his family, they reluctantly agree to let Priscilla fly to Tennessee alone.
This is when Priscilla would begin to see the wild, chaotic world that Presley was living in, filled with a rowdy crew of hanger-ons along with their jaded ladies who catered to his every whim and all night parties fueled by booze and amphetamines. Quietly observing her surroundings, this young teenager is easily fascinated and impressed with Presley's lavish lifestyle. Seven years after they first met, Priscilla marries Presley in Las Vegas, with her now transformed into a feminized, mirror image of the rock-n-roller.
"Priscilla" could seem like a companion piece to Luhrmann's extravaganza yet Coppola's bio-pic is far removed from "Elvis". Modestly scaled and emotionally grounded, Coppola explores a love story that seemed to be doomed for failure from the beginning. Presley's beloved mother, Gladys who he shared an unusually close relationship, had passed away a year before meeting Priscilla. And this deep sense of loss seemed to shape his views on women: some were available strictly for carnal desires while others are supposed to be just nurturing mothers and wives. And the two did not meet. After Priscilla gave birth to their daughter, Lisa Marie, Presley would make excuses not to touch her in an intimate way, leaving her confused and frustrated.
Coppola has made her film career focusing on female protagonists, usually young women, in search of their own identity and value in society while trying to lift the heavy shadow of the baffled men in their lives. With her reflective screenplay, she manages to keep the focus on the inner turmoil that Presley struggles with despite the hovering presence of the larger-than-life singer. The visual approach is subtle as cinematographer, Philippe Le Sourd begins with a warm and dreamy atmosphere as seen through the childlike eyes of Priscilla before a dramatic shift that is brighter and more garish as she enters into the real-life of Presley's inner orbit.
Spaeny (who won the Best Actress Award for her role at the Venice Film Festival) is extraordinary as she advances from a precocious, lovestruck teen fully convinced she can handle a mature romance with one of the most popular and desirable men on the planet to a less enamored young woman no longer willing to endure his erratic behavior and endless womanizing. And as for our Elvis, the Australian Elodi offers another well-crafted version of Presley, perfectly capturing the essence of the King, right down to his distinctive mumbling, Southern drawl.
Coppola has created another fine feature film, thoughtful and poignant, yet "Priscilla" reveals something that may or may not have been intentional. Despite Presley's best efforts of wistfully presenting her story as a tragic romance, it is also a disturbing account of neglect and abuse. It's shocking that Elvis Presley was allowed, with her parents' blessing, to groom this young child into his ideal version of a woman only to essentially discard her emotionally once he had made her a mother. This only adds another more troubling layer to an already complicated history of one of the most significant cultural figures of the last century.
Directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin
Where & When: Landmark Theatres Sunset, West Hollywood, CA. October 24, 2023 8:00 PM
Available to stream on Netflix on November 3, 2023
For the first narrative feature by the Oscar-winning documentary filmmakers, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, the married couple decided to continue in their fascination with themes involving intense sports and athletes. "Nyad" is an engaging yet safe recreation of Diana Nyad, the famed long-distance swimmer, and her dream of completing a treacherous sixty-hour, one hundred and three-mile swim from Havana, Cuba to Key West, Florida. Facing unpredictable weather conditions, fluctuating water temperatures, perilous marine life and her advanced age, Nyad had plenty of obstacles that made this extreme marathon seem virtually impossible to accomplish. Yet after several attempts, with fierce determination and a powerful ability to dissociate, Nyad was able to actually make the impossible possible.
We meet Nyad (Annette Bening) in 2010 on her sixtieth birthday and demanding to her friend, Bonnie (Jodie Foster) that she absolutely does not want a party. But having briefly been lovers and now her closest friend, Bonnie throws a thrilled Diana a surprise party, knowing very well what she really wanted. Aging also triggers in Nyad a strong desire to complete a swim from Havana to Key West she first attempted thirty-two years ago. Nyad begins extensive training and pushes a skeptical Bonnie into being her coach.
Hiring John Bartlett (Rhys Ifans), the captain of the fishing vessel who will follow alongside her as she swims, Nyad makes her second attempt a little over a year later escorted by a paddler in a kayak equipped with an electronic shark repellent. But ends the quest twenty-nine hours later after strong winds throw her off-course and begins to suffer some shoulder pain. Nyad attempts again a month later but is stopped once more after forty-one hours in the water due to multiple stings from jellyfish and Portuguese man-of-war when bad weather pushes her off-course. Nyad tries again yet is unable to finish although she covers more distance than her previous attempts. With Bonnie and the crew beginning to lose their patience, time and money on this more seemingly, crazy venture, Nyad knows she can do it if given one more chance.
Memory plays a large part of the film with Nyad continuously going over in her mind the errors that were made in her previous attempts to make the journey to Florida. She is also haunted by the abandonment of her father from the family and most troubling, the sexual abuse she suffered from her swim coach that Nyad had a crush on when she was a pre-teen.
One thing about Nyad is that she is no shrinking violet. Abrasive and demanding, this swimmer is confident in herself and her abilities and more than happy to share this information with anyone who will listen. Benning is a reliable commanding presence and delivers another terrific performance. Yet the four-time Oscar nominee still has some difficulty making the prickly Nyad an appealing protagonist and finding a way to make us really want to root for her. Luckily, Bonnie is around to try and soften Nyad's rough edges and lack of proper people skills. Playing her first queer character on screen, Foster comes across as jovial and relaxed, capturing a lighter side of the actor that has been rarely seen over her lengthy career. Together, these veteran performers make a great team, displaying genuine warmth and chemistry.
It's clear that Chai Vasarhelyi and Chin are still trying to find their way to make a smooth transition from documentary filmmaking to narrative storytelling. They lean a little too much on actual footage of the real Diana Nyad and her journey throughout the film, undercutting the actors' achievements to some degree.
The film is a solid debut feature film yet ultimately, "Nyad" feels conventional, never pushing to challenge us narratively or visually. We are left to be moved by the sheer will and determination of Nyad, trying to beat the odds of this incredible quest. And while the film certainly succeeds as an inspirational biopic, it's not really enough to keep "Nyad" afloat as a compelling drama.
Where & When: Outfest LA, Directors Guild of America, Los Angeles, CA. July 20, 2023 7:15 PM
"Passages", the latest feature film from writer/director Ira Sachs, is a European based, love triangle involving two men and a woman. Yet what makes this drama far more intriguing and very modern is that the men are the long-term couple, and the young woman is the one who comes between them. With an audacious narrative and thrillingly sensual, "Passages" takes us on an emotional journey filled with several unexpected twists and turns.
Living in Paris, Tomas (Franz Rogowski), a German filmmaker working on his new film and Martin (Ben Whishaw), a British print maker have been together for fifteen years, still caring for each other yet fallen into comfortable, routine relationship. During a wrap party for Tomas' film, Martin wants to call it a night after spending the evening supporting his partner. But Tomas is not ready to go home, deciding to stay at the party. He begins to pay attention to Agathe (Adèle Exarchopoulos) a young French school teacher who was invited by friends working on the film. Just ending a relationship with a clingy boyfriend that evening, she is open and ready for some fun. And later in an apartment at an after party, Tomas and Agathe lock eyes, sneak off into a bedroom and become intimate.
Buzzing with excitement, Tomas goes home the next morning and can't wait to tell Martin what happened. Yet he's not nearly as thrilled or amused by this revelation from his partner. Later while in the editing bay, Tomas comes across Agathe once again, paying a visit to a friend. They attempt some small talk before going off to a private room where they tear each other's clothes off. Tomas is soon sneaking off to be with Agathe any chance he can get, falling surprisingly into a romantic relationship. And this comes to a head with Martin as Tomas announces to him that he is leaving to take a chance in this new love affair. A devastated Martin tries to move on, starting a causal relationship with a writer (Erwan Kepoa Falé). But Tomas refuses to let go of him completely, missing the familiar intimacy with a man while struggling to understand Agathe's emotional needs and dealing with her concerned parents.
Whishaw (seen in the last three Bond movies as "Q", appeared in the Oscar-nominated, "Women Talking" and voiced the beloved, British bear in the "Paddington" films) reliably delivers a solid performance of a man trying to find a way to be supportive of the man he loves while refusing to allow him to trample over his heart and their long relationship. Exarchopoulos, who first attracted international attention in the controversial 2013 drama, "Blue Is the Warmest Colour", brings a warmth and steely reserve to her role as Agathe. But the real standout is Rogowski, commanding the screen with a rakish swagger that is extremely appealing. The unconventionally handsome actor, who previously made a great impact in Christian Petzold's films, "Transit" and "Undine" and recently in the acclaimed prison drama, "Great Freedom", brings to mind a European version of Joaquin Phoenix, matching in physicality and sharing the same intensity burning through their eyes. Yet Rogowski is a little less edgy, having a softer, more vulnerable quality than Phoenix.
As an artist and filmmaker, Tomas has always been largely focused on satisfying his needs, motivations and desires. And his narcissistic nature was not going to be any different in his personal life. His behavior becomes appalling as we watch Tomas deviously exploit Martin and Agathe's affection for him to best serve his selfish needs. The film doesn't make any effort in trying to define Tomas' sexuality, but it seems clear that his initiating an affair with Agathe was more about doing something new and exciting than an innate attraction.
"Passages" boldly explores sexual identity, touching on how that has recently evolved into something less rigidly defined and fluid. This film is an erotic drama that features several scenes of sexuality with the most extended and detailed involving Tomas and Martin (which earned "Passages" an unwarranted NC-17 rating but the film's distributor, MUBI chose to release unrated instead of forcing Sachs to make any cuts). This genre used to be a staple in theaters but has virtually disappeared from US cinemas and I applaud Sachs for bravely offering something for adults. I'm sure the European setting was a necessity as Americans now tend to be far more cautious and nervous over sexual intimacy, particularly when two men are involved. Gloriously uninhibited and fiercely provocative, "Passages" is a welcome return of a dramatic narrative that features messy and complicated characters that actually reveal themselves emotionally and physically.
.jpg)
