MY LEAST FAVORITE FILMS OF 2019

They say you win some and you lose some. And that was certainly the case with some of the films I saw in 2019. Here is a list of a few films that did not manage to feel like winners to me:

"THE KITCHEN"

"The Kitchen" looked like it could have been an intriguing crime thriller due to the focus on the wives of an Irish-American mob. But this adaption of a graphic novel mini-series, with the film written and directed by Andrea Berloff, fails to generate a compelling or convincing narrative. After their husbands are arrested and sent to prison by the FBI, Kathy (Melissa McCarthy), Ruby (Tiffany Haddish) and Claire (Elizabeth Moss) are left to fend for themselves despite promises from the family they would be helped out. With few options, the women decide to create their own path in the family business. These talented actresses give it their all (including a standout performance by Margo Martindale as Ruby's racist mother-in-law) but they are unable to make this disjointed story work. This was definitely one of the big disappointments for me of 2019.

"DARK PHOENIX"

"Dark Phoenix" is an adaption of the "Dark Phoenix saga" from the X-Men comic book which became one of the popular story lines in the series from 1980. Simon Kinberg makes his directorial debut with this "conclusion" to the film series. And while he's had an extensive background with the cinematic versions of the mutant heroes, having written and produced "X-Men: Days of Future Past" and "X-Men: Apocalypse", you are left wondering what happened? In Mr. Kinberg's hands, "Dark Phoenix" is surprisingly listless and uninspired. During a mission by the X-Men to save astronauts stranded on a space shuttle damaged by a powerful solar blast, Jean Grey/Phoenix (a blank Sophie Turner) absorbs the full force of this energy in order to save her team's aircraft from destruction. But Jean survives with her psychic powers incredibly enhanced yet also becoming increasingly uncontrollable. Most of the cast returns from 2016's "Apocalypse" (including James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Nicholas Hoult and Jennifer Lawrence) along with the addition of Jessica Chastain as a shape-shifting alien who manipulates the troubled Phoenix. Yet none of them appear to be fully invested in this misguided endeavour. And despite a major re-shoot of the third act due to poor test screenings, "Dark Phoenix" remains a painfully average super-hero flick.

"THE DEAD DON'T DIE"

I am usually a big fan of the cinematic work by Jim Jarmusch with "Only Lovers Left Alive" and "Paterson" as recent faves. But the innovative writer/director's latest, "The Dead Don't Die" is an odd mixed-bag of horror and comedy that isn't particularly scary or funny. A small town becomes overrun by zombies and the small police force (recent Oscar-nominee, Adam Driver, in the least successful of the four films he appeared in last year, Bill Murray and Chloë Sevigny) must try to save the town before it's too late. Deadpan and leisurely paced, "The Dead Don't Die" never builds to anything remotely interesting or memorable with it's impressive eclectic cast (Danny Glover, Steve Buscemi, Selena Gomez, Iggy Pop, Tom Waits and Tilda Swinton) seeming to do nothing more than to pop up briefly to chat before moving on to another project.

"SERENITY"

"Serenity", a soggy mess of a noir thriller, was aiming to be sexy and mysterious yet only ends up being limp and confusing. A handsome fishing boat captain (Matthew McConaughey) is struggling to keep his business afloat. Enter his former wife (played by a lost Anne Hathaway), a cartoon femme fatale he hasn't seen in many years, arriving with an offer to bring an end to his financial woes. And it would only involve simply killing her wealthy, violent ogre of a husband (Jason Clarke) in exchange for a lot of cash. Sound perfectly reasonable, right? But then this standard-issue mystery drama makes a sharp left turn in to sci-fi territory. I must admit I have no idea what is going on in "Serenity" but I'm also certain that the film's writer/director, Steven Knight doesn't either.

"JOHN WICK 3"

When Keanu Reeves first appeared as John Wick, a former assassin forced to return to a life of organized murder after a trio of Russian gangsters steal his car and kill his puppy given to him by his late wife, this 2014 neo-noir revenge thriller was greeted with universal acclaim due to it's bold visual style, solid performances and breath-taking action sequences. I actually enjoyed "John Wick", finding it to be a well-paced and entertaining crime drama. This lead to "John Wick: Chapter 2", a more conventional follow-up which continued the story with Wick on the run after breaking a "blood oath" with an Italian crime boss who had allowed him to retire from the life as a hit-man. Now we have the third installment in the series, "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum". And while this action-thriller has become the highest grossing film in the series and received plenty of positive praise, I found the latest film to have grown ridiculously excessive and relentlessly monotonous. "Parabellum" begins less than an hour after "Chapter 2" ended with Wick now a marked man and once again on the run after the unsanctioned killing of the Italian crime lord. The High Table crime syndicate declares Wick "excommunicado" and a fourteen million dollar bounty is placed on his head, leading to endless assassins coming after him trying to collect. Despite the intriguing addition to this brutal caper of Oscar-winners, Halle Berry as another former assassin who reluctantly comes to the aid of Wick and Anjelica Huston as the leader of a Russian crime family that Wick was once a member along with Asia Kate Dillon as "the Adjudicator" for the High Table, "John Wick 3" is an artless affair bogged down by a highly labored script that has the fingerprints of four different writers.

SERENITY (2019)

Written & Directed by Steven Knight


Where & When: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, CA. January 27, 2019 5:45 PM



With two Oscar-winning leads, a solid supporting cast and a filmmaker who has written a script that earned him an Academy Award nomination all on board, you would think that the feature, "Serenity" should be at least entertaining. But Steven Knight, who wrote "Dirty Pretty Things", "Eastern Promises" and "Locke", has attempted to put a modern twist on a classic noir thriller and the result is dull, confusing and completely absurd.

Matthew McConaughey plays Baker Dill, a rugged fishing tour boat captain who sails on his ship named “Serenity” out of Plymouth Island off the Florida coast. Baker is not on steady ground financially and struggling to keep his business afloat. He is also struggling to forget his troubled past involving his former wife and young son but finds some comfort by consuming a large amount of booze. With his trusty first mate, Duke (Djimon Hounsou) by his side, Baker has become obsessed with capturing a large tuna to help solve his money troubles and while he has come close, the fish remains elusive.

Just when Baker thinks his situation couldn't get any worse, it does with the arrival of his ex-wife, Karen played by Anne Hathaway in full blonde, femme fatale mode. She has tracked him down with a small favor in mind; aware that her former husband is in a tight financial bind, Karen offers him millions of dollars to kill her current husband. Loud, boorish and very wealthy, Frank (Jason Clarke) is also physically and emotionally abusive to her and Baker's teenage son, Patrick.

Unable to just leave him for reasons that are not fully explained or questioned, Karen is desperate but Baker turns her offer down. However, Karen is very determined and uses her mind and body to convince him it's a good idea for everyone involved. Baker eventually agrees to do the plan which involves taking Frank out on the boat in a drugged-out state and for him to have a tragic fishing accident where he's dragged out in to the sea.

And then there is a strange man (Jeremy Strong) who has been anxiously following Baker and finally catches up to him on a rainy night. The man simply wants him to test a fish detector but he also inadvertently brings to Baker's attention that what he's been experiencing (and what we have been seeing) is not at all what it may appear to be.

I won't even try to explain what unfolds in the third act because, to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure that I can. Mr. Knight's attempt to deconstruct the film noir genre could have been interesting and enjoyable yet with "Serenity" he failed to apply basic logic and consistency to his story. The crazy twists and turns of the plot do not connect by the time we reach the conclusion of the film, leaving a hole big enough for a naked McConaughey to easily swim right through (which his exposed body is featured prominently on land and underwater here and may be enough incentive for some to actually see this mess).

With a dark, heavy-handed script which the actors are required to perform with complete seriousness, the film is in desperate need for a few moments of lightness. The only one who comes closest to enjoying themselves is Mr. McConaughey who still manages to deliver a touch of his easy-going, laid-back style to the brooding boat captain. The gifted Ms Hathaway may be able to do many things but she's not exactly persuasive as a vamp. Lacking a sultry confidence that people like Barbara Stanwyck or Kathleen Turner could provide with little effort, the actress appears uneasy and lost most of her time on screen. And once again, poor Diane Lane is wasted in a thankless role. She plays Constance, a horny neighbor that Baker occasionally provides stud service for when he needs some extra cash. Ms Lane should have actually switched parts with Ms Hathaway. She's actually closer in age to Mr. McConaughey and would have been a far more convincing seductress.

"Serenity" may feature committed performances and a great-looking production but it's all wasted on a film that is unsettled on what exactly it's trying to be. There are moments when we are in the middle of a tense, sexy thriller before shifting to a dysfunctional family drama and finally spinning in to a surreal puzzle. Yet ultimately none of it works together, leaving "Serenity" drifting lost at sea.

2018 FALL MOVIE PREVIEW

This summer we received a surprisingly good collection of sequels, a not-so-great collection of original comedies ("Crazy Rich Asians" as the only exception), a nice showing of indie fare, a surprising number of well-received documentaries and the sad decline (and seemingly inevitable demise) of Moviepass which lead to this season ending with the box-office reaching an impressive 4.4 billion dollars in receipts. This was an improvement over last summer where there were a lot more poorly-received flops and ticket sales dropped to it's lowest level in ten years.

As we move in to fall, there will be plenty of upcoming movies that will not only be trying to lure audiences in to theaters but also vying for award consideration. I've seen a few trailers for several interesting films coming soon but I have selected ten to share that have particularly captured my attention.

All release dates are subject to change:

"LIZZIE"

Release date: September 14, 2018

We are all familiar with the story of Lizzie Borden and what was said she did with an ax but with "Lizzie", we are given a more complex look in to her life and another possible motivation for the crime she was accused of committing. Chloë Sevigny stars (and serves as a producer) as Borden, an unmarried woman living with her controlling father (Jamey Sheridan) and stepmother (Fiona Shaw). When a new maid (Kristen Stewart) is hired, Lizzie finds friendship and close intimacy with her which eventually leads to them devising a deadly plan.



"COLETTE"

Release date: September 21, 2018

Keira Knightley returns to her comfort zone in a period drama with "Colette". This bio-drama by Wash Westmoreland ("Still Alice") tells the story of Gabrielle Sidonie Colette, a young French woman who marries an older man, Henry Gauthier-Villars (Dominic West) known to the public as the writer, "Willy". Colette becomes interested in writing and her husband encourages her to do so but under his name. When the books become a success, this eventually creates some serious tension between the couple.



"THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER"

Release date: October 12, 2018

Based on the acclaimed 2014 Israeli film, this English-language remake of "The Kindergarten Teacher" is set in New York and stars Maggie Gyllenhaal as a teacher who notices a child (Parker Sevak) in her class who she believes is extremely gifted. While his father is not particularly interested in having him apply for any advanced placement, the teacher begins to obsess over the boy which leads to misguided and disturbing situations. Sara Colangelo won the Best Director prize at this year's Sundance Film Festival for this film and also features Gael García Bernal.



"CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?"

Release date: October 19, 2018

We know that Melissa McCarthy is more than capable of making us laugh but is she also able to give us some serious drama? We shall soon see with "Can You Ever Forgive Me?", where she plays Lee Israel, a once successful writer but by 1992, she could no longer get published and was soon broke. Desperate, she begins to forge letters by deceased writers and actors and sell them for top dollar. But it doesn't take long for people to become suspicious and getting the FBI involved. Based on Israel's memoir, this is the long-awaited follow-up by Marielle Heller, the director of one of my favorite films of 2015, "The Diary of a Teenage Girl" and with a script by Nicole Holofcener who was once attached to direct.



"SERENITY"

Release date: October 19, 2018

"Serenity", from writer/director, Steven Knight, is a neo-noir thriller about a fishing-boat captain (Matthew McConaughey) whose sultry ex-wife (Anne Hathaway) suddenly reenters his life asking for a small favor. And that would involve helping to murder her wealthy but abusive husband (Jason Clarke). Djimon Hounsou and Diane Lane also star.



"WILDLIFE"

Release date: October 19, 2018

Actor Paul Dano ("Little Miss Sunshine", "There Will Be Blood", "Swiss Army Man") has made his directorial debut with "WildLife". He co-wrote the screenplay with his girlfriend and actress, Zoe Kazan (which is based on the novel by Richard Ford) and tells the 1960's set story of a teenage boy (Ed Oxenbould) who watches as his parents' (Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal) troubled marriage crumbles further apart after his mother begins an affair.



"A PRIVATE WAR"

Release date: November 2, 2018

"A Private War" examines the fascinating life of celebrated war correspondent, Marie Colvin who was willing to risk her life by moving through the middle of dangerous conflicts in order to get the story. Rosamund Pike plays the journalist who was recognized for wearing an eye patch after losing sight in her left eye from a grenade in Sri Lanka in 2001. With photographer, Paul Conroy (Jamie Dornan) by her side, Colvin bravely went in to witness what was actually happening in the front so she could accurately write about the true cost of war. Matthew Heineman, a documentary filmmaker whose work includes the Oscar-nominated, "Cartel Land", directs his first narrative feature.



"THE FAVOURITE"

Release date: November 23, 2018

The latest from Yorgos Lanthimos, the director behind the delightfully quirky films, "Dogtooth" and "The Lobster", is certainly not expected. "The Favourite" is a period-piece romp set in early 18th century England but it still appears to offer some offbeat moments. With the British at war with France, an ill and testy Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) is comforted by her dear friend, Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz) with words of guidance and reassurance. Sarah's charming cousin, Abigail (Emma Stone) arrives at the palace and sets her sights on becoming close to the Queen, putting in to motion a bitter rivalry for her royal affections.



"IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK"

Release date: November 30, 2018

Barry Jenkins has finally returned with the follow-up to his 2016 Best Picture Oscar-winner, "Moonlight" and it's an adaption of James Baldwin's novel, "If Beale Street Could Talk". Set in 1970's Harlem, Tish (Kiki Layne, making her film debut) and Fonny (Stephan James) are young and in love. But their happiness is tragically disrupted when Fonny is falsely accused of committing a crime and Tish discovers she is pregnant. With the help of her family and the community, she struggles to find evidence to help free her man. Brian Tyree Henry, Dave Franco, Diego Luna and Regina King also star.



"MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS"

Release date: December 7, 2018

The story of the royal rivalry between Mary, Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth of England has been covered numerous times in literature, the stage and film. The latest is "Mary, Queen of Scots", a historical drama based on John Guy's book and a script by Beau Willimon ("House of Cards"). This version features two of last year's Best Actress nominees; Saoirse Ronan plays Mary Stuart and Margot Robbie is Elizabeth. Josie Rourke, who has had a long history directing for the British stage, makes her feature film debut.