The 2023 Phoenix Critics Circle Awards

On Dec. 14, the Phoenix Critics Circle, along with friends, family, and partners, enjoyed a festive evening at the Phoenix Film Festival home office and the Harkins Theatres Scottsdale 101 to proudly announce the PCC’s choices for 2023’s best films, performances, and efforts in technical categories.  

“Past Lives”, Celine Song’s stunning first feature film, seizes the day to win Best Picture, while Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” and Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers” garner the most hardware with four and three awards, respectively.  

Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. secure Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor for their atomic work in “Oppenheimer”, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph serves a stand-out Best Supporting Actress performance as an engaging but brokenhearted cafeteria worker in “The Holdovers”, which also won the PCC’s Best Comedy award. 

Valley native Emma Stone rounds out the acting honors with a Best Actress victory for her grand and whirlwind efforts in Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things”, and the wildly imaginative director cashes in with Best Director honors. 

Best Picture

Past Lives

Best Comedy Film

The Holdovers

Best Science Fiction Film

They Cloned Tyrone

Best Horror Film

Talk to Me

Best Animated Film

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Best Foreign Language Film

The Zone of Interest

Best Documentary

STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie

Best Actor

Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer

Best Actress

Emma Stone, Poor Things

Best Supporting Actor

Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer

Best Supporting Actress

Da'Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers

Best Director

Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things

Best Screenplay

David Hemingson, The Holdovers

Best Cinematography

Hoyte van Hoytema, Oppenheimer

Best Score

Ludwig Göransson, Oppenheimer

Here is the complete list of winners and nominees. 

BEST PICTURE

• THE HOLDOVERS

• KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

• OPPENHEIMER

• PAST LIVES - WINNER

• POOR THINGS

• THE ZONE OF INTEREST

BEST COMEDY FILM

• AMERICAN FICTION

• ASTEROID CITY

• BARBIE

• BOTTOMS

• THE HOLDOVERS - wINNER

BEST SCIENCE FICTION FILM

• ASTEROID CITY

• THE CREATOR

• GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3

• INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY

• INFINITY POOL

• THEY CLONED TYRONE - wINNER

BEST HORROR FILM

• EVIL DEAD RISE

• NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU

• TALK TO ME - WINNER

• THANKSGIVING

• WHEN EVIL LURKS

BEST ANIMATED FILM

• THE BOY AND THE HERON

• ELEMENTAL

• SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE - WINNER

• TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM

• WISH

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

• ANATOMY OF A FALL

• FALLEN LEAVES

• GODZILLA MINUS ONE

• PERFECT DAYS

• THE ZONE OF INTEREST - WINNER

BEST DOCUMENTARY

• 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL

• AMERICAN SYMPHONY

• BEYOND UTOPIA

• THE MISSION

• STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE - WINNER

BEST ACTOR

• BRADLEY COOPER, MAESTRO

• LEONARDO DICAPRIO, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

• PAUL GIAMATTI, THE HOLDOVERS

• BARRY KEOGHAN, SALTBURN

• CILLIAN MURPHY, OPPENHEIMER - WINNER

• JEFFREY WRIGHT, AMERICAN FICTION

BEST ACTRESS

• LILY GLADSTONE, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

• SANDRA HÜLLER, ANATOMY OF A FALL

• GRETA LEE, PAST LIVES

• NATALIE PORTMAN, MAY DECEMBER

• MARGOT ROBBIE, BARBIE

• EMMA STONE, POOR THINGS - WINNER

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• WILLEM DAFOE, POOR THINGS

• ROBERT DOWNEY JR., OPPENHEIMER - WINNER

• RYAN GOSLING, BARBIE

• MARK RUFFALO, POOR THINGS

• DOMINIC SESSA, THE HOLDOVERS

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• EMILY BLUNT, OPPENHEIMER

• PENELOPE CRUZ, FERRARI

• RACHEL MCADAMS, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET.

• JULIANNE MOORE, MAY DECEMBER

• ROSAMUND PIKE, SALTBURN

• DA’VINE JOY RANDOLPH, THE HOLDOVERS - WINNER

BEST DIRECTOR

• GRETA GERWIG, BARBIE

• JONATHAN GLAZER, THE ZONE OF INTEREST

• YORGOS LANTHIMOS, POOR THINGS - WINNER

• CHRISTOPHER NOLAN, OPPENHEIMER

• MARTIN SCORSESE, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

• CELINE SONG, PAST LIVES 

BEST SCREENPLAY

• GRETA GERWIG AND NOAH BAUMBACH, BARBIE 

• DAVID HEMINGSON, THE HOLDOVERS - WINNER

• CORD JEFFERSON, AMERICAN FICTION

• TONY MCNAMARA AND ALASDAIR GRAY, POOR THINGS

• CELINE SONG, PAST LIVES 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

• HOYTE VAN HOYTEMA, OPPENHEIMER - WINNER

• MATTHEW LIBATIQUE, MAESTRO

• RODRIGO PRIETO, BARBIE

• RODRIGO PRIETO, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

• ROBBIE RYAN, POOR THINGS

• LUKASZ ZAL, THE ZONE OF INTEREST

BEST SCORE

• JERSKIN FENDRIX, POOR THINGS

• LUDWIG GÖRANSSON, OPPENHEIMER - WINNER

• MICA LEVI, THE ZONE OF INTEREST

• DANIEL PEMBERTON, SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE

• ROBBIE ROBERTSON, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

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The Oath – Movie Review

Directed by: Darin Scott

Written by: Darin Scott and Michelle Scott

Starring: Darin Scott, Nora Dale, Karina Lombard, and Billy Zane

Runtime: 104 minutes

Pledging to watch ‘The Oath’ might cause severe regrets

“You are so boring, all your thinking.” – Bathsheba (Nora Dale)

After a brief opening chase scene through a crowded forest in director/co-writer Darin Scott’s “The Oath”, the camera focuses on the lead, Moroni (also played by Scott), a muscular 40-something donning a warrior’s garb, complete with, perhaps, a cowhide vest.

He’s thinking.

Moroni stands, sits, and lies down in a vast patch of lush emerald pasture near an ocean coast, and the thoughts in his head – for some reason - are spoken aloud through narration in his native tongue while subtitles appear. He’s alone, the sole survivor of the Nephite Nation.

By sight alone, one might guess that Scott’s movie might be set during the fictional Hyborian Age, thousands of years before 0 A.D., but this story takes place during the 5th century in North America, as noted during the opening credits.

Scott and cinematographer Brian O’Carroll offer a grand entrance for Moroni, a stoic gentleman who might let his sword do most of the talking. The Nephites’ opposing nation, The Lamanites – “after a millennium of war” – killed all of Moroni’s people.

However, only scarce swathes of swashbuckling sprint to the screen, mostly late in the third act, as “The Oath” is primarily a slow, clumsy, colloquial-dominated narrative, where Moroni speaks in parables and formalities to himself and Bathsheba (Nora Dale) from the opposing nation, The Lamanites.

He will utter, “Their words will cry from the dust.”

“If they slay me, it matters not,” Moroni also says.

The central plot revolves around Moroni coping with the fact that the Nephites’ history could be wiped clean after his demise. King Aaron (Billy Zane) of The Lamanites – who apparently only rules over 10 on-screen citizens in his kingdom - wishes to rid the world of Moroni. Meanwhile, the ruler’s mistress, Bathsheba, leaves him and finds this lone Nephite. The rugged Moroni and beautiful Bathsheba might pledge some common ground and romance.

Bathsheba is running from an abusive relationship, but Moroni becomes possessive after just a couple of weeks and asks that she never leaves him.

Come on, Moroni. Give her some space.

Well, Scott’s production may be a passion project because “The Oath” is a religious chronicle about an important figure for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Admittedly, this critic didn’t realize it until the end, but most moviegoers – with or without some research beforehand – will grasp this obvious fact. My agnostic beliefs and frequent critic practice of “walking blindly into a movie” (without knowing anything about it) drove my naiveté for this 104-minute picture.

So, looking back, Scott’s constant gravitas towards Moroni’s everyday tasks – like handing a plate of food to Bathsheba or strolling through the woods – now draw clarity due to the widespread reverence given to this religious figure.

So, I respect Scott and his cast and crew’s intentions to bring Moroni to the big screen.

Still, as a movie, I must unfortunately vow – from my perspective - that “The Oath” is a clunky, awkward experience. It feels like it was filmed on a shoestring budget – without accompanying footwear - in one location out in the wilderness, like if you and your friends decided to shoot a movie over a three-day weekend.

It’s filled with wincing, wooden dialogue, but the performances – as a whole – aren’t second-rate. However, Scott often runs into problems, because he seemingly can’t quite find the balance between portraying Moroni’s respected sobriety and delivering needed emotion in critical spots. When in doubt, Scott seems to lean on the former, which is a safe bet, but his interpreted stoicism hampers the intended poignant moments.

The strained choreography with the supporting players doesn’t help the film’s cause. For example, the Lamanite combatants seem connected by an imaginary rope, so they don’t fall out of the camera frame during their repeated steps over the same woodsy acreage or path adjacent to a small rocky cliff throughout the movie.

During the eventual fight scenes between King Aaron’s entire militia of 10 combatants versus Moroni, Bathsheba’s sister Mahigana (Karina Lombard) fires off two arrows that land, but we don’t see her pull on the bow. Still, through the magic of editing and our imagination, she did.

Take the editing department’s word for it.

Speaking of words, “The Oath” is a movie where members of the warring factions sometimes speak their distinct languages or sometimes break into English. The rule of thumb is that the longer the movie runs, the more English you’ll hear. If Scott filmed “The Oath” linearly, maybe the cast and crew said, “Hey, let’s just drop the other languages, okay?”

Although Zane delivers a slight Irish accent throughout his performance, which comes out of nowhere, but hey, at least he’s not boring with all his talking.

Jeff’s ranking

1/4 stars

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Dream Scenario – Movie Review

Directed and written by: Kristoffer Borgli

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Julianne Nicholson, Tim Meadows, and Dylan Gelula

Runtime: 102 minutes

‘Dream Scenario’: Cage is a dreamy choice for Borgli’s exceptional and eccentric dark comedy

“The Dream Police. They live inside my head.” – “Dream Police” (1979) by Cheap Trick

Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage) isn’t a cop, but – for reasons that cannot (easily) be explained - he’s living inside people’s heads.

This college professor and family man spends his days giving lectures about evolutionary biology and supporting his wife, Janet (Julianne Nicholson), and their two daughters. However, nights suddenly become problematic because friends, students, colleagues, and strangers inexplicably begin dreaming about him.

What?

This mild-mannered, nondescript educator becomes an overnight sensation, and as director/writer Kristoffer Borgli’s inventive, satirical, and eccentric movie unfolds over 102 minutes, it becomes abundantly clear that Cage is a dream choice to play Paul.

Cage has been on a roll lately. Movie studios and filmmakers seem to have awakened with Nicolas in mind, and he’s accepted notable roles, led by “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” (2022), where he plays a version of himself in an action comedy with Pedro Pascal.

But we can also look towards other recent flicks where the public has rediscovered Nicolas Kim Coppola, including “Pig” (2021), “Renfield” (2023), and an ever-so-brief cameo in “The Flash” (2023).

Cage fans may argue that he never separated from their lives. Just look at his lengthy IMDb resume with 116 credits as proof.

In a 2012 Werner Herzog Q&A (that’s available on YouTube at BAMorg), the famous director celebrates his collaboration with Nicolas on “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans” (2009). Werner explains that Cage asked for insight into why his character – the bad lieutenant – was…bad.

Herzog responded, “’Nicolas, you know, there’s such a thing like the bliss of evil. Go for it!’ And he really went for it.”

Here, Nicolas’ Paul isn’t malevolent, but our lead thespian goes for it in “Dream Scenario”.

Professor Matthews – a follically-challenged 50-something suburbanite - is confident with his classroom material, but he’s insecure and awkward outside his teaching mode.

His ex-girlfriend, Claire (Marnie McPhail), remarks that he’s “always (waiting) for the insult.”

Janet states that he “scores high on assholeness.”

He doesn’t stand out in a crowd, and therefore, Paul is safe among the herd, not unlike an example in the animal kingdom that he calls out in class.

Cage is physically masterful here, with seemingly hundreds of moments where Paul’s internal churn of self-doubt rises to the surface with hesitations, graceless chit-chat, and clumsy exchanges.

With zero charisma, Matthews essentially goes unnoticed, but once colleagues, acquaintances, and unfamiliar individuals begin to recognize him (because he’s a frequent attendee during their slumber), this timid fellow gets a palatable taste of celebrity and far-and-wide curiosity.

Borgli and cinematographer Benjamin Loeb embrace the challenge of forging dream sequences, and they skillfully gather numerous five-second snippets of anxious, tangible images of snooze hallucinations. On most occasions, Borgli deliberately identifies which cinematic extractions originate from the on-screen characters’ headspaces, but he – sometimes - makes us guess.

Not only do Borgli and Loeb take meticulous care with the sporadic delusions’ visuals, but sound designer and Oscar winner Sylvain Bellemare and his team offer bold echoes, thuds, and reverberations to accompany these surprising fantasy morsels. Conversely, Bellemare and company hush the resonance during the story’s conscious minutes, reflecting Paul’s mundane existence.

Filmed in Toronto, the grey, overcast weather escorts our hero, not necessarily like a dark cloud but as a lingering malaise. It’s no accident that he roams through the ashen concrete walls of his university, where he takes pride in his life’s work, which contrasts with his luxurious brick home, one adorned with flowery, luxurious grounds.

Janet grew up in this domicile that Paul, she, and their two girls occupy, and it’s a refuge of opulence, comfort, and family. Outside fame should pale in comparison. Perhaps “Dream Scenario” shines a light on this searching-for-broad-acceptance dynamic, one magnified these days by social media’s ubiquitous force. It’s a movie filled with observational humor and prickly, frank looks at the human condition, one with odd surprises, including a 30-something well-known film comedian randomly popping up as a baseball-hat-wearing marketing executive.

Yes, it’s difficult to police the proceedings in this new Nicolas Cage vehicle. Hey, just dismiss any restraint and experience “Dream Scenario” with wide-open eyes.

Jeff’s ranking

3.5/4 stars

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Next Goal Wins - Movie Review

Directed by: Taika Waititi

Written by: Taika Waititi and Iain Morris

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Uli Latukefu, Semu Filipo, Elisabeth Moss, Will Arnett, and Rachel House

‘Next Goal Wins’: This soccer movie should be an easy score, but the ball sails over the crossbar

2,555, 44,620, 77, 2,073, and 31-0.

American Samoa is an unincorporated U.S. territory, an island locale in the Pacific Ocean that sits 2,555 miles southwest of Hawaii. 44,620 people live on 77 square miles of tropical paradise.

Taika Waititi (“Boy” (2010), “What We Do in the Shadows” (2014), “Jojo Rabbit” (2019)) was born in Wellington, New Zealand, 2,073 miles southwest of American Samoa. In “Next Goal Wins”, this whimsical, creative mind directs and cowrites an American Samoan tale based on actual events involving the world’s most popular game.

On April 11, 2001, American Samoa lost a Men’s FIFA World Cup qualification match to Australia, but the word “lost” barely scratches the surface.

Crushed, mashed, smashed, destroyed, massacred, and demolished are better descriptions for the team’s 31-0 defeat at the hands of the Aussies.

Thirty-one to Zero!

Ten years later, the squad isn’t fairing much better, as they – still – haven’t scored a goal in international play. Simultaneously, the American Soccer Federation decides to send a lackluster, hothead, and vagabond of a coach, Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender), to manage the South Pacific squad in Taika’s take on this true “The Bad News Bears” (1976) story.

Thomas needs to help turn these zeroes into heroes!

“Next Goal Wins” is a sports comedy, or it attempts to fashion itself as one, but other than about a dozen or so sight gags and individual quips, the intended jokes – mostly involving the team’s inept skills - fall flat, and the mundanely filmed action on the pitch doesn’t inspire.

Worse yet, Rongen is a cantankerous, unlikable sort, and Fassbender’s Buttermaker garners no empathy throughout most (the key word is “most”) of the 103-minute runtime, so his arc barely registers by the movie’s final whistle.

Whether the team wins or loses, we should want to hoist Rongen on our shoulders and carry him (and the team) out of the theatre, but by the end, a simple fist bump - born out of acknowledgment and politeness - and a speedy exit seem apropos.

Granted, the collection of misfit athletes earns audience endearment. Still, like many sports movies, there are so many players but limited on-screen minutes. Hence, Waititi focuses on a few personalities, including the team’s president Tavita (Oscar Kightley), the goalie Nicky (Uli Latukefu), a cop named Rambo (Semu Filipo) with a wildly strong foot, and a trans woman, Jaiyah (Kaimana).

Tavita, the desperate-for-a-winner administrator (and he’s pining for just one goal), introduces Rongen and us to Samoan culture. The man is a gentle, agreeable force and a one-man welcoming party with some amusing moments and a bizarre, raunchy one. Nicky is a tall, athletic ringer for the crew, and Rambo’s best scene is an introductory one when he chases down a particular speed demon clocking in at 35 or 36 miles per hour.

Jaiyah garners the most player screen time.

Waititi, co-writer Iain Morris, and Kaimana feature her journey in a frank and sensitive manner, including Jaiyah dealing with hormonal issues and her new coach deadnaming her. Jaiyah and Thomas develop a delicate working relationship as player and coach, and the screenplay and the two actors offer a convincing run of initial conflict, acceptance, and collaboration.

Deciding where to place conflict becomes one of the movie’s chief problems because the generally sociable, gracious players do not fight with each other. No tension exists between them, and therefore, it’s a missed chance for comedy. And there are only so many times that one can sit through kicks that sail outrageously off target, tackles that are poorly missed, and easy saves that can’t be reached.

So, the tension is primarily set on Thomas’ fish-out-of-water routine with the Samoan players, people, and culture. Barely any intended laughs register with the coach vs. players, and Fassbender (to my knowledge) isn’t an experienced comedian. Michael delivers angst, disbelief, impatience, and frustration with his clumsy team, and the only glorious laugh-out-loud moment – that I can recall with these interactions – is when he quits for the day and leaves the coaching to a 10-year-old named Armani (Armani Makaiwa). That worked.

Still, Thomas shares frequent meltdowns, including embarrassing Bobby Knight routines, even when the team doesn’t play badly. He ponders quitting, threatens to leave, and quits, so the strain is between the coach and players. There are plenty of opportunities to explore the anxiety of his experience with the Samoan people and cultures, but the picture fails to build on that idea.

Perhaps Waititi, the filmmakers, and Fassbender are playing the real Rongen exactly (or close to exactly) right, and his short fuse and disinterest are on point. Well, it’s admirable that history might be valued, but the final presentation in its current state doesn’t translate to a raucous comedy or a compelling drama, and quite frankly, it should be at least one. At least! So, Waititi is responsible for recognizing any comedic shortcomings upfront or with the dailies. It feels like Fassbender and the other thespians needed support to set them up for success rather than the filmmakers relying on eccentric puns from supporting characters.

Speaking of support, it is not easy to discern the team’s improvement (other than recruiting new team members) and Rongen’s contributions. The club does develop, but the line between A (for Awful) and B (for Better) isn’t visible.

It’s also unclear how plays and formations transpire and how teamwork occurs on the pitch. Waititi and cinematographer Lachlan Milne film practices and matches at ground level. The camera sits close by and rarely delivers broad views of movement. Instead, in isolation, Jaiyah will dribble between defenders, or Rambo will set himself up for a rousing kick, while Rongen barks orders. So, the game experience doesn’t translate in the theatre, except for the designed big moments and the occasional shot from the last row of the stands, but – by and large – the film looks nothing like a televised soccer event.

Waititi and Milne didn’t score on the field, but they capture some beautiful surroundings, including a stirring hike up a mountain, even though the filming occurred in Hawaii, not in American Samoa (according to IMDb).

So, cheers to Taika and the cast and crew for bringing attention to this American Samoa soccer story. I’m glad that I know this sports tale. Still, Taika Waititi is directing Michael Fassbender as a Buttermaker-type who coaches the worst international soccer team in history.

This movie should write itself!

“Next Goal Wins” should be a layup, a slam-dunk. Sorry, wrong sport. This film is a penalty kick with an open goal, but, unfortunately, the ball sails over the crossbar.

Jeff’s ranking

1.5/4 stars

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The Marvels – Movie Review

Directed by: Nia DaCosta

Written by: Nia DaCosta, Megan McDonnell, and Elissa Karasik

Starring: Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Zawe Ashton, and Samuel L. Jackson

‘The Marvels’: A messy, confounding story grounds this MCU space odyssey

“The jump point is still leaking energy.”

If that quote seems confusing, you aren’t alone.

“The Marvels” – the sequel to “Captain Marvel” (2019), starring Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, and Iman Vellani – has a confounding plot, one that completes its cooked chronicle through several conveniences over an (approximate) 95-minute runtime.

It’s a messy space odyssey that shoehorns two Disney+ characters on the MCU’s big screen – Monica Rambeau (Parris), who works for Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), and a 16-year-old Jersey City kid, Kamala Khan (Vellani) - to partner with Carol Danvers (a.k.a. Captain Marvel) (Larson).

Captain Marvel, Professor Marvel (Parris), and Ms. Marvel (Vellani) banter about the universe in Carol’s ship – with buddy comedy vibes - but director/co-writer Nia DaCosta and co-writers Megan McDonnell and Elissa Karasik draw a jumbled, silly cinematic map.

Let’s map out the premise.

Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton), a Kree warrior, leads an excavation on “NB 418” (I believe) to find a pair of ancient bracelets that can open portals in space to help save her planet. Hala, her home world, lacks the enough breathable air, suffers from a drought, and their sun is dying. Rather than simply move to another planet, she hopes to use the said portals to travel to other worlds and steal their air, water, and sun.

Umm, what?

Well, that’s not nice!

Hang on. The Kree has a vast empire with armies of spaceships, so why not simply move? Perhaps Hala recently dealt with COVID-19, and the general populace would rather work from home and watch Netflix.

That’s possible.

Oh, Dar-Benn hates Captain Marvel because – as explained in a flashback scene – CM destroyed the Kree’s Supreme Intelligence, a supercomputer of sorts, which then caused a civil war. Apparently, the conflict depleted Hala’s resources, which messed with the air, a drought somehow started, and the sun began losing its luster.

I’m no scientist, but how are those events connected?

Anyways, Dar-Benn finds one of the bracelets, but not the second, because Kamala – living in Jersey City, U.S.A. – sports the other. She got it from her grandmother, of course.

Well, Kamala’s bangle starts glowing, and Monica and Carol touch some light sources (caused by Dar-Benn), while working in the field simultaneously, and now, the three switch locations when they use their powers at the same time.

Switch locations!

Think “Quantum Leap” (1989 – 1993), but not exactly. The women literally change spots or positions, a phenomenon that’s inconvenient in everyday life but would work exceptionally well during Friday night’s group dance lessons.

The trio convenes at Kamala’s childhood home – after a bizarre extended fight scene that involves the teenager’s parents and brother - and decides to consort, waltz, rumba, and fox-trot as a team (because what choice do they have?) and aims to stop Dar-Benn before she steals three elements on a massive scale.

Speaking of scale, the film doesn’t make it easy to discern Carol’s, Monica’s, and Kamala’s powers. Monica briefly explains that she can “see light,” Carol can “absorb light,” and Kamala can “turn light into physical matter.”

Okay.

From what I can tell, Monica turns translucent, can pass through solid matter, and shoots energy beams from her hands. Kamala can form pink diamond shields and other shapes, again, from her hands, and Carol has superhuman strength, and she can fly and shoot energy, again, from her hands. Monica can fly as well, but she’s still learning.

With this movie, I am learning too!

Meanwhile, Dar-Benn has the same bracelet as Kamala, but she hasn’t sorted out the pink diamond thing. However, she sports a “universal weapon” similar to Ronan’s (Lee Pace) from “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014). It’s a giant hammer with a long handle, and early in the first act, part of it had a purple glow. Does her weapon have a Power Infinity Stone, like Ronan briefly did? No, I guess not, but when she clangs her new bangle to the aforementioned hammer, it cracks open her desired portals in space, so air, water, and fire are ripe for the taking!

Does Kamala’s bangle do that?

Also, Dar-Benn’s bangle can absorb energy, so if The Marvels shoot laser beams (or energy beams or light beams, or choose your synonym) at her, she can soak up their power and shoot it back at them. A pretty cool feature!

Can Kamala’s bangle do that?

Since Captain Marvel is the strongest being in the universe, Dar-Benn – at one point – absorbs Carol’s strength. Wow! But how long does she soak up Carol’s powers? Does it last a few seconds? A week? Is it permanent? I can confirm it’s somewhere between a few seconds and a week.

Her bangle/hammer combo is vastly functional and makes a cool fashion statement too.

Think about it for the holiday season.

“The Marvels” celebrates some faraway locales, including a colorful and pleasing one called Aladna that could fit right into a “Guardians” flick or “Thor: Ragnarok” (2017), and cheers to production designer Cara Brower. The Aladnaians utter a unique language that can have hilarious repercussions, but DaCosta cuts the joke short because Aladna’s prince (Park Seo-joon) also speaks straight-up English. So, the film misses an opportunity of heightened whimsy.

Conversely, we also volley between Nick Fury’s space station and a stop on a dreary Skrull home called Tarnax. Kamala’s family - Muneeba (Zenobia Shroff), Yusuf (Mohan Kapur), and Aamir (Saagar Shaikh) – hang out with Nick, so they are frequently in touch with their daughter/sister throughout the film, whether we want to listen or not. We’re subjected to the Skrulls’ continual miserable trek of a refugee crisis. It’s a shame because the Skrulls used to be ferocious villains in the comics. Here, they are pitied.

Ah, the mighty have fallen.

The mighty have fallen in Captain Marvel’s living spaces too. Carol is not the fierce combatant that we’ve seen in her first movie and “Endgame” (2019). She puzzlingly flies a spaceship, even though she doesn’t need one, and she’s emotionally wounded from decades of fighting with the Kree, cerebral scratches that we didn’t see in previous movies.

Her indestructible vibes are stunted.

She is a distinctively different Carol Danvers, and the changes give her more humanity and vulnerabilities. Still, it’s tough to discern who she is as a Marvel hero.

Who is Captain Marvel? I’m not sure, and Carol doesn’t seem to know either.

(Note that Taika Waititi changed Thor’s (Chris Hemsworth) personality in “Thor: Ragnarok”, but the famous Asgardian found a new and delightful sense of humor. Carol doesn’t offer the same pleasantries in “The Marvels”.)

However, we know who Kamala and Monica are. Kamala is a bubbly, wide-eyed superhero fangirl, as she finds her footing among the Avengers’ stars. Vellani’s Kamala is awfully likable, and her naiveté is a frequent source of comic relief. Monica is pragmatic, grounded, and carries the professor moniker that Kamala gave her. She always has the correct answer and keeps the pain of her mother’s passing in check, even though it’s darn near impossible to check off her list of superpowers and follow along when she throws out varying accounts about jump points and quantum bands.

Following along is a tricky business in “The Marvels”. The film diverts precious minutes for frequent explanations about the cosmic science that stands before us, including the initial bonding between the three over light (which I still don’t understand). We receive exposition about Kamala’s backstory, Monica’s mentions (twice) that she traveled through a witch’s hex to gain her powers, and Carol’s 30-year fight with the Kree that forged hard feelings and guilt. Back on the space station, Fury occasionally opines but isn’t given much to do, and we meet some of his staff but don’t catch their names.

As far as Dar-Benn, her motivation is clear, but her ultimate weapon/hammer gadget has more charisma and personality.

Well, the Flerkens – wild aliens that look like ordinary house cats – may not have personality, but they can make zany and vastly impressionable entrances, and here, they offer an absolutely hilarious sight gag.

Cat people and “Guardians” admirers – like yours truly – will love it (and them) and will welcome the Flerkens in new MCU flicks, and hey, Carol, Monica, and Kamala too.

If Ms. Danvers gets a self-help course and the Marvel Factory scribes a suitable script that’s straightforward, linear, logical, and with less endless exposition about jump points that leak energy, sign me up to cheer on this team.

However, at the moment, I’ll refer to Monica’s quote during the movie’s third act.

“I can’t.”

Jeff’s ranking

1.5/4 stars

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American Fiction - Cord Jefferson Press Conference

Cord Jefferson wrote and directed “American Fiction”, his first feature movie, and it won the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival People’s Choice Award. What a debut! In “American Fiction”, Jeffrey Wright stars as Thelonious ‘Monk’ Ellison, an author who is weary of current mass media, so he writes a book out of sarcasm, and it catches fire.

Rotten Tomatoes Awards Editor Jacqueline Coley recently hosted a virtual press conference with Cord, and the Phoenix Film Festival and other outlets, journalists, and critics joined the engaging discussion. Jacqueline took questions from the online audience, but the Phoenix Film Festival’s inquiries weren’t chosen. Still, here is a partial transcript from the talk, as Cord chats about his inspiration to write and direct his first film and connecting with Jeffrey to star in it.

“American Fiction” arrives in select theatres on Dec. 15 and expands on Dec. 22, 2023.

Q: Talk about how you came across the book “Erasure” by Percival Everett and why you wanted to adapt it as your first feature.

CJ: I first heard about the novel, reading a review for a different book, “Interior Chinatown”, in December 2020. In the review, it said this novel has a satire reminiscent of Percival Everett’s “Erasure”. So, I bought it and devoured it over Christmas break, and within 20 pages, I knew I wanted to adapt the screenplay. Within 50 pages, I was already reading the character of Monk in Jeffrey Wright’s voice.

By the time I was done, I knew that I wanted to direct it. There were so many overlaps with my personal life and things I’d been thinking about for literally decades.

Q: How did you get Jeffrey to say, “Yes,” (to the film)?

CJ: As soon as we got the script done, I told everybody (that) I really wanted Jeffrey. Everybody agreed immediately. He’s perfect. We sent it to him right away, and very thankfully, he met with me, and we talked about it for a few hours. Then we went away and met again a couple of weeks later, and he signed on.

There are a lot of actors of his caliber (who) would look at first-time directors and say, “I don’t think so. I don’t want to risk it, but thanks for asking, kid.”

But he leapt aboard, and everything got easier. We got more money for the film. Other actors became more interested because they wanted to work with Jeffrey. He was just incredibly gracious and collaborative from the get-go. He’s an amazing, amazing man, and I will be forever indebted to him.

Q: Is there anything from that initial conversation that solidified (in your mind that he was perfect for the role)?

CJ: The first thing he said when he sat down was (that he didn’t) want this movie to feel like it’s scolding or condemning anybody. That’s the exact perfect thing to say because that was exactly what I had in mind also. I don’t want this movie to feel like it’s a lecture, like people are coming in (to the theatres), and we’re telling them (that) there’s a right way to be Black. There’s a wrong way to be Black. There’s a right way to think about these issues, (and) a wrong way to think about these issues.

All we wanted to do was make a movie that sort of addressed these issues but also had a ton of levity, a ton of humor, and a real emotional heart to the whole thing. We wanted people to leave the theatre smiling and laughing with friends and family. So, as soon as he talked about that, I knew (he was) the guy.

Q: How much of the audience was in your mind as you (set) up (and created) uncomfortable humor?

CJ: I didn’t make anything with an audience necessarily in mind. When you start to do that, you start to second-guess yourself, and you start to think, “Well, maybe this group of people won’t like this, or maybe this audience won’t like (that).”

For me, it was a strategic balance. I wanted the movie to be satire. “Erasure” is a wonderful satirical novel, so I knew that it was going to be a large part of the story. (However,) to make sure that the film didn’t collapse under the weight of the satire, (Monk’s) emotional core, the family stuff, (and his) relationships with his siblings and mother help ground the story emotionally.

(These ideas) help balance each other out. So, it’s never too sweet; it’s never too bitter. The story doesn’t feel too saccharine, collapsing under the weight of the drama, or collapsing under the weight of the comedy.

When we (did) test screenings, we would sometimes ask, “What do you think this movie is, a comedy, drama, or dramedy?”

And we’d get different answers every time.

Q: How was it directing Jeffrey, who is celebrated so much for his dramatic on-screen presence, in a comedic role?

CJ: A great actor is a great actor. If they are given an opportunity to be funny, you’re going to see a lot of great dramatic actors (in comedies). Robert De Niro. Everybody thought of (him) as a premier dramatic mob actor, and then all of a sudden, he’s in “Meet the Parents”, and everybody is dying laughing. Think of Gene Hackman in “Young Frankenstein”, one of my father’s favorite movies.

One of the things that I think makes Jeffrey shine (in “American Fiction”) is that people don’t expect to see him in this kind of role. People (will) be pleasantly surprised when they see how funny he is.

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The Persian Version – Movie Review

Written and directed by: Maryam Keshavarz

Starring: Layla Mohammadi, Niousha Noor, Bella Warda, Bijan Daneshmand, and Tom Byrne

Runtime: 107 minutes

‘The Persian Version’: Too many shifts in times, tones, and ideas crowd the earnest intentions

“Oh girls. Girls just wanna have fun. They just wanna. They just wanna.” – “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” (1983), performed by Cyndi Lauper and written by Robert Hazard

Within the first 10 minutes (or so) of director/writer Maryam Keshavarz’s “The Persian Version” – with a “Based on a True Story…Sort Of” tagline on the movie poster – a pre-teen, Leila (Chiara Stella), sneaks Michael Jackson, Prince, and Cyndi Lauper cassette tapes on a New York City trip to Iran.

She then leads an endearing romp, a choreographed music video, in an Iranian neighborhood with elderly, middle-aged, and young locals dancing to Ms. Lauper’s most famous song. The sweet moment – set in the 1980s - highlights that this bright-eyed, youthful Iranian American embraces her heritage and both countries.

However, Keshavarz’s movie opens during the 2000s with 20-something Leila (Layla Mohammadi) hooking up with Maximillian (Tom Byrne), a man dressed in drag as Hedwig, from “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”, at a party, so at first and second glances, “Version” seems to be a straight-up comedy.

It’s not. Save for a few instances – like an awkward family dinner where Maximillian is the guest, and Leila’s mother Shireen (Niousha Noor) points out that her daughter plays basketball and her son cheerleads – the intended jokes don’t land, unfortunately.

This autobiographical (sort of) dramedy follows Leila’s and Shireen’s individual stories and their collective combative relationship. However, sitting down and following the narrative – with constantly shifting timelines (from the ‘60s, ‘80s, ‘90s, and ‘00s), desperately needed narration from Leila and a younger Shireen (Kamand Shafieisabet), and dizzying shreds of subplots, including a fractured romantic relationship, an incapacitated relative, a budding real estate career, a couple of pregnancies, a family wedding, and eight brothers who randomly appear and disappear in unison – can be a conflicting experience.

Leila and Shireen endure a messy rapport, and Keshavarz’s screenplay follows their vibe with an authentic but chaotic collection of ideas scattered across the screen for 107 minutes. Ultimately, there is a method to Keshavarz’s “madness”, one steeped in earnest intentions and execution in the third act, but the ever-changing tones and time periods highlight a mad, madcap, murky, and makeshift cinematic journey.

On the bright side, Noor is compelling as a resolute matriarch, strong and determined, who ceaselessly focuses on her family’s well-being, first and foremost, even if Leila and she don’t connect. Shireen loves her daughter, but her motherly burden of obligations and Leila’s teenage and 20-something free-spirited exuberance constantly clash. Mohammadi – in a breakout role - exudes charisma in her first feature film and could easily fit and shine in future rom-coms. She – regrettably - doesn’t get enough screen time to show off and stretch these romantic-comedy muscles. Some of the most engaging moments are between Leila and Maximillian, even though the film doesn’t explore their potential or lack thereof because Leila is gay, which leaves him in a state of limbo or confusion.

There’s no confusion about Keshavarz’s desire to include plenty of calls to her and Leila’s Iranian culture, with history lessons about U.S./Iran political relations, Rostam Batmanglij’s lively score, several shots of traditional food, and Dila Bayrak and Burcu Yamak’s sharp costume designs. Bayrak and Yamak also get the ‘80s attire perfectly and tonally right, complete with a leopard-print headband. Ah, ‘80s fashion.

Visually, “The Persian Version” offers plenty to absorb, including the aforementioned impromptu music video, a random cheerleader dance, a festive wedding, living conditions in an isolated desert, and bustling conversations around a congested dining room and a hospital bed.

However, with the constant shifting tones, ideas, and decades that crowd the big screen, maybe Lauper’s “Time After Time” (1983) is a better fit here.

“Caught up in circles. Confusion is nothing new.”

Jeff’s ranking

1.5/4 stars

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Anatomy of a Fall – Movie Review

Directed by: Justine Triet

Written by: Justine Triet and Arthur Harari

Starring: Sandra Huller, Swann Arlaud, Milo Machado Graner, Samuel Theis, Jehnny Beth, and Antoine Reinartz

Runtime: 152 minutes

‘Anatomy of a Fall’: Sandra Huller rises to deliver the best lead actress performance of the year so far

“I need you to be precise. Tell me everything.” – Vincent Renzi (Swann Arlaud)

Director/co-writer Justine Triet’s courtroom drama, “Anatomy of a Fall”, feels precise in just about every moment. However, a barrage of facts, figures, explanations, clarifications, and evidence - throughout a 152-minute runtime – cause knotty twists and turns in this absorbing legal rollercoaster, one that rides and rolls through mountains of intimate stress and anxiety in the French Alps.

Very early in the first act, Samuel Maleski (Samuel Theis) falls to his death from the attic window of his and his wife’s (Sandra Huller) towering countryside home. This tragedy occurs in the middle of a winter day under bright skies, but cloudy contemplations climb with suspicions. Sandra Voyter (Huller) was the only other person inside the house, so did Samuel slip in a disastrous accident, or did his spouse murder him?

Triet and co-writer Arthur Harari (also Justine’s partner) don’t leave clues leading up to Samuel’s demise, but yes, tension fills the abode during the movie’s opening minutes.

A student interviews Sandra, a celebrated writer, but Samuel triggers a spiteful act – one that will not be revealed in this review – that deeply embarrasses his wife. The student and Sandra’s recorded conversation can no longer continue.

Is the humiliating moment a microcosm of their marriage?

Sandra suffers from a conflict, either a temporary patch or a years-long battle.

Immediately after Samuel’s deadly descent, the audience doesn’t know how long the couple’s struggles have lingered, but Voyter, her lawyer Renzi, investigators, and a trial divulge the anatomy of a fall…and the anatomy of a marriage.

Over the next two-plus hours, all eyes in the movie theatre will stare squarely at this new widow, as she firmly denies that she murdered Samuel, but a trial opens.

Sandra is the prime suspect.

All eyes on the big screen also gaze at Sandra with varying degrees of concern, uncertainty, and straight-up doubt, and this questioning universe also includes her 11-year-old son, Daniel (Milo Machado Graner), a visually impaired little boy.

Daniel was walking his dog Snoop when disaster struck his family, so he wasn’t a direct witness, but the child has a natural basis – and bias - for forming an opinion on his mother’s potential guilt after living with his folks for a decade plus a year.

Meanwhile, Huller gives the best actress performance of the year so far as Ms. Voyter, a woman under an avalanche of pressure – guilty or not guilty – as she faces public scrutiny, intense exchanges in court, and private emotional examinations from Daniel and his newly assigned assistant guardian, Marge (Jehnny Beth).

You can sense Sandra aging 20 years during the constant back and forth between her home and the courthouse.

It’s impossible to identify Sandra’s guilt or innocence, but she holds everlasting consternation that boils deep and froths to the surface. Is her internal churn due to a constant push to declare truthful denials or a persistent pull to hide a murderous onus from view?

While Sandra stews, Triet and Harari’s nuanced and gutsy script dives into unanticipated layers of Sandra and Samuel’s marriage, a vast, turbulent pool of emotional waves that could wash away a holy union, either theirs or anyone else’s under similar circumstances. These break-up breakers expose themselves through discourse in court and between Sandra and Vincent.

Even though “Anatomy” occasionally relies on visual recreations to piece together the mystery, most of the revelations are driven through conversational means. Triet and cinematographer Simon Beaufils aren’t required to dazzle with elaborate illustrations, and they don’t, save for the striking eerie contrast of blue skies, white snow, and a dead body. Instead, Triet’s camera rightly converges on the interior, interpersonal predicament at hand. She often squarely focuses on Huller, and Voyter faces the fire and attempts to avoid drowning simultaneously, as this critic kept guessing about her guilt and legal fate.

American audiences may find French court procedures a bit baffling, and one or two plot devices - that appear in legal chambers - feel forced. Still, these moments drive the mystery, one set at an urban courthouse, an extravagant wooden residence, and during an - otherwise – ordinary, chilly afternoon with one devastating, deadly drop.

Huller and Triet may or may not drop enough hints and tell us everything, but you’ll have to examine the 2023 Cannes Palme d’Or winner - this anatomy of a fall and marriage – to know for sure.

Jeff’s ranking

3.5/4 stars

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Butcher’s Crossing – Movie Review

Directed by: Gabe Polsky

Written by: Gabe Polsky and Liam Satre-Meloy

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Fred Hechinger, Jeremy Bobb, Xander Berkeley, Rachel Keller, and Paul Raci

Runtime: 105 minutes

‘Butcher’s Crossing’ offers remarkable footage and an important message, but narratively, the film doesn’t quite make the cut

Where would you take your dream vacation?

Maui? Walt Disney World? Los Angeles? Paris? London? Tokyo? The Bahamas?

In 2023, a family of four might choose one of those destinations, but in director/co-writer Gabe Polsky’s western, the year is 1874, and 20-something Harvard student Will Andrews (Fred Hechinger) wants to experience life.

So, he packs his bags, leaves Boston, and heads out west to the tiny municipality of Butcher’s Crossing, Kansas, where the harsh saloon whiskey might be the gentlest creature comfort in town. Its merchants and traders double as varmints and desperadoes.

This isn’t a place for its scenic views, but Will’s father knew a fella, J.D. McDonald (Paul Raci), who settled there to stake his claim, so the young scholar hopes to connect with him as a lifeline.

J.D. is a buffalo hide trader, who buys pelts for four dollars each, and Will decides to saddle up with a hunter and seek out 1,500-pound bison for commerce.

Okay, this is not a spring break escapade at Ft. Lauderdale, and Miller (Nicolas Cage) isn’t your friendly beach bartender. Well, he’s pleasant enough – at first - as this bald huntsman convinces Will to pay six hundred dollars to finance an expedition in Colorado, where Miller promises that an incalculable number of these mammals will roam an unchartered pass.

So, Miller, Will, an elderly carriage driver named Charley (an unrecognizable Xander Berkeley), and an ornery skinner named Fred (Jeremy Bobb) complete this somewhat fearless foursome in “Butcher’s Crossing”, a film adapted from John Williams’ 1960 novel of the same name.

Early on, “Butcher’s” seems like a typical, pragmatic western. The naive, inexperienced protagonist wades into foreign pools of rankled, coarsened lifestyles, and the grizzled veterans have weathered scores of distressing seasons as they embark on a demanding, dangerous trip.

All feels “right” in this troubled on-screen world, but this film features a buffalo hunt, and Polsky heavily bows into the sheer horrors of the late 19th-century practice.

Around 1860, approximately six million bison roamed North America, but hunters dramatically slaughtered the population. You wouldn’t believe the frightening facts and figures, and Polsky provides the sickening statistics at the film’s end.

So, this individual narrative – seemingly – mirrors the real-life descent, as Miller, Will, Charley, and Fred decline into madness, and the three latter men are helpless – for some unknown reason – to combat Miller’s psychosis.

Polsky, Cage, and cinematographer David Gallego effectively portray the insanity of the relentless killing, as Miller doesn’t exactly hunt here. Yes, he competently tracks his prey but then simply sets up camp and murders countless bison, like shooting fish in a barrel.

Target practice.

There is no defense for these animals; they are as powerless as Will, Charley, and Fred to stop Miller. It’s difficult to estimate the screentime of the constant bombardment of the dying four-legged targets. Maybe 40 or 45 minutes during the 2nd act, and Miller does take breaks to sleep and eat, but it all painfully feels like forever, and credit the cast, crew, and also co-writer Liam Satre-Meloy for placing us in anxious spaces by design.

No, the movie’s problems lie elsewhere. As mentioned earlier, the narrative plays out as a microcosm of the hunting period’s insanities, and it’s sometimes reflected in some bizarre dream sequences, maybe three or four, where reality fades away, and cerebral shadows within Will’s mind play out cinematically.

Embers from a campfire float and fly around, glimpses of Miller’s gunshots, severe weather, and more twirl about the screen to communicate our lead’s friction. Hey, his callus-less hands and big-city background are no match for Colorado’s high country, and the endless carnage and skinning wear on Will’s brain and body like a hacksaw grating through a stick of warm butter.

These step-away-from-reality moments are arthouse affairs, so this creative decision becomes a matter of taste. It may work well for some audiences, but these scenes distract from the compelling narrative (in my mind), as flat-out stress and strife through combative discourse and physicality would trump the artistic interpretations.

In a couple of cases, they don’t quite make sense. For example, the party desperately searches for water, and Will suffers the most during a taxing stretch. So, he visualizes mirages in a dizzying montage, but their problems are suddenly solved without an explanation or fanfare, so our investment in the team’s collective thirst becomes wasted. In a different instance, our bleak band struggles in severe snowy weather, but then Will seems to stroll along in a budding springtime forest. Is it spring? It might be. Is he dreaming? Possibly, because the glum gang then reverts to dealing with winter.

Also, in an isolated puzzling (albeit brief) scene, Charley – who lost his left hand before this adventure – miraculously gains it back, while the right one becomes absent. Which one is missing again?

Another missing feature is depth with the characters. The four feel one-dimensional, as they regularly pan over the same middling discussions about Miller’s obsession, Charley’s religious beliefs, Fred’s corruption, and Will’s blank slate. Sure, this tetrad isn’t the country’s finest and brightest, so the unexceptional exchanges are probably accurate but contrast these American blokes with the remarkable color of four travelers in S. Craig Zahler’s dastardly “Bone Tomahawk” (2015). Zahler’s script constantly feeds his four stars – Kurt Russell, Matthew Fox, Patrick Wilson, and Richard Jenkins - with engaging lines and character insight.

We are invested in those characters!

In “Butcher’s Crossing”, not so much.

Even though Miller, Will, Charley, and Fred become villains against nature, it’s an emotional tussle to feel for anything for them other than yearning to reach through the screen and rip the gun from Miller’s grip. Cage certainly is a fearsome force. In a striking visual, Polsky and Gallego offer an assist by capturing steam and smoke emanating from Miller’s head.

However, Will’s arc muddles in the grassy highlands and bloody skins as Hechinger’s character tussles about in this miserable environment. His boyish smile has long passed from his face, and the film is told through his eyes, his perspective, but his words and actions – by and large – remain mute and uninspiring.

Well, credit the movie’s vocal, troubling message of the bison plight, the Blackfeet Nation in Montana for providing the land, and the Blackfeet Tribe Buffalo Program for handling the unquestionably remarkable footage. No question, the fantastic plethora of these majestic animals is a sight to behold.

However, as a whole, “Butcher’s Crossing” doesn’t quite cut it…even on a holiday.

Jeff’s ranking

2/4 stars

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The Burial – Movie Review

Directed by: Maggie Betts

Written by: Maggie Betts and Doug Wright

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Tommy Lee Jones, Jurnee Smollett, Mamoudou Athie, Pamela Reed, Amanda Warren, and Bill Camp

Runtime: 126 minutes

If you need a reprieve from October’s scary slasher flicks, let ‘The Burial’, an entertaining courtroom drama, rise towards the top of your movie queue

It’s October! For movie fans of all ages, ‘tis the season for forbidding films that thrill and chill, loaded with frightening frights and screeching scares!

Enter director/co-writer Maggie Betts’ “The Burial”.

Imagine the late, great movie-trailer legend Don LaFontaine introducing this new Halloween-month release.

“Arriving this October, Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones rise in the terrifying after-midnight graveyard gorefest, ‘The Burial’.”

Well, despite the ominous title, Betts’ (“Novitiate” (2017)) movie isn’t horror-based at all.

Not at all.

It’s a courtroom drama, and it doesn’t feature murder, like in “Jagged Edge” (1985), “Presumed Innocent” (1990), or “A Few Good Men” (1992).

Here, Betts and Doug Wright scribed a screenplay (adapted from Jonathan Harr’s 1999 “The New Yorker” article) about funeral director Jeremiah Joseph O’Keefe’s (Jones) real-life lawsuit, led by his lawyer, Willie Gary (Foxx), toward the Loewen Group, Inc., a conglomerate in the industry.

O’Keefe – a 70-something WWII vet, family man, and Mississippi resident - legitimately feels that the Loewen Group, Inc. – led by a greedy mogul, Ray Loewen (Bill Camp) – is trying to run him out of business, so he turns to Gary, a wealthy, successful Florida attorney for damages.

Foxx and Jones deliver some glorious thespian and charismatic damage of their own, and the film leans on their engaging performances as new brothers-in-arms, O’Keefe and Gary.

(Please note that Pamela Reed and Amanda Warren play admirable, supportive on-screen spouses to Jeremiah and Willie, respectively.)

Jeremiah is a small-town, Greatest-Generation businessman who covets routine quiet evenings – seven days a week – at home, while Willie regularly flies across the country on his private jet, securing multi-million-dollar settlements. Willie and Gloria (Warren) have a strong marriage, but sometimes he’s forced to voice his “Goodnights” from the road.

Willie is a brilliant legal tactician and a heck of a salesman too, complete with accessories like his aforementioned luxury aerial transport, expensive watch, and flawless suits. He also mentions his admiration for Johnnie Cochran, as this movie and the real-life events are set in the 1990s. Gary is a showman and a winner, with Ric Flair’s flair and Rod Tidwell’s (Cuba Gooding Jr., from “Jerry Maguire” (1996)) wells of confidence. Gary lights up every room he enters, makes terrific arguments, and wins over juries.

Why does Jeremiah want to hire an out-of-state, personal-injury attorney for his local Biloxi conundrum?

Because Willie Gary always wins!

Actually, Jeremiah’s biggest challenge is convincing Willie to take his case. This particular legal challenge involves O’Keefe’s contract with Loewen, and contract law isn’t Willie’s forte. The lawsuit is for only a “paltry” few million bucks, and Gary only works with Black clients.

After some major convincing from one of Jeremiah’s current lawyers, Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie), and a more lucrative endgame in mind, Willie takes the case, and we’re off to the judicial races.

Even with a 126-minute runtime, the movie breezes by, but first, Betts ensures to establish Jeremiah’s and Gary’s rock-solid but contrasting personas and plays off their differences, including race. Set in the south, the film confronts race with humorous and sobering effects. Jerimiah and Willie get along like peas and carrots, but Gary and his team’s presence disrupts O’Keefe’s long-time counsel, Mike Allread (Alan Ruck). Betts and Gary confront Mike’s discomfort head-on in a hilarious moment, and Jones’ Jeremiah is free from such biases, which offers a cozy foundation between the two lead characters.

However, Betts also includes grim race collisions, like featuring a slave burial ground, Willie’s personal story that propelled him into law, and two instances when white characters question Hal, based on the color of his skin. Meanwhile, Hal becomes Jeremiah’s and Willie’s MVA (most valuable attorney).

When Willie and the team run into the intimidating corporate monolith and its barrister, Harvard grad superstar Mame Downes (Jurnee Smollett), the audience can turn to Hal as a barometer of future victories and defeats over the lengthy legal arguments.

From an on-screen perspective, Jeremiah J. O’Keefe vs. Loewen Group, Inc. doesn’t entangle itself into twisty legal weeds. Instead, Betts and Wright paint the case in broad strokes, as the sizable sways in arguments are primarily – but not entirely – centered on obvious impacts to the jury.

Audiences won’t have to calculate differential equations to follow along, allowing the film to deliver rousing theatre – from Gary and Downes – and relax and breathe into Jeremiah and Willie’s journey and their relationships with new and old associates and respective families.

Foxx and Jones – former comic book movie villains – are stand-up-and-cheer good guys in this David vs. Goliath drama, and if you wish for a 2-hour 6-minute reprieve from October’s startling, scary slasher flicks, let “The Burial” rise towards the top of your movie queue.

Jeff’s ranking

3/4 stars

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Americanish – Movie Review

Directed by: Iman Zawahry

Written by: Iman Zawahry and Aizzah Fatima

Starring: Aizzah Fatima, Salena Qureshi, Shenaz Treasury, Lillete Dubey, Godfrey, Kapil Talwalkar, Mohammed Amer, Ajay Naidu, David Rasche, and George Wendt

Runtime: 88 minutes

‘Americanish’: This breezy, charming rom-com centers on a serious concern for American women since the 1970s, balancing career and marriage

“If Matt Damon and Brad Pitt had a brown love child, it would totally look like this guy.” – Sam (Aizzah Fatima)

Sam, a 30-year-old public relations executive, expresses the aforementioned observation to her younger sister, Maryam (Salena Qureshi), about Shahid (Kapil Talwalkar), a tall, handsome pre-med college student. Maryam – an industrious pre-med undergrad as well – never had a boyfriend, but she’s willing to study dating if Shahid ever becomes single and shows interest in her.

Their cousin, Ameera (Shenaz Treasury), a Pakistan resident, has an uber-interest in the United States and flies to New York City!

“This is New York where dreams come true,” Ameera says, and she adds, “I saw it in an Eddie Murphy movie, ‘Coming to America’.”

This pretty, wide-eyed 20-something aspires to meet a Pakistani-American doctor and get married, stat! Ameera figures she has six months to wrap up a holy matrimony ceremony, which isn’t a flat-out impossible task, but some luck and a prayer or two wouldn’t hurt, while living with her cousins and aunt in Jackson Heights, Queens.

For Sam, love and marriage are four-letter words, as she’s focused on her career. During any downtime, she’s planning to move out of her mother’s (Lillete Dubey) home. If only Sam could get that promotion to afford her own place.

Sam, Maryam, and Ameera have specific landing places along the career-versus-marriage spectrum, and in “Americanish”, a breezy, charming rom-com from director/co-writer Iman Zawahry, the three single ladies work out their ideals of work and love in NYC.

The idea for “Americanish” was born in 2012, when Zawahry visited The Big Apple and saw Fatima’s one-woman play, “Dirty Paki Lingerie”. After the play, Iman introduced herself to Aizzah, and they soon began writing the “Americanish” screenplay.

During a 2021 YouTube CAAMCHANNEL interview, Zawahry says, “There are three characters from the actual play, which I’ve transformed a lot over the years,” and adds, “We have molded (the screenplay) to what’s going on in our lives today and how relevant it is to be American Muslim women in these stories.”

During the three ladies’ journeys over an 88-minute runtime, they must hurdle cultural traditions and, in Sam’s case, also cope with present-day prejudices.

Khala (Dubey) presses her daughters to marry but stresses, “Don’t marry a man you love. Marry a man who loves you. He’ll take care of you.”

Sam has no time for her mother’s lectures, as she regularly dates but has no interest in settling down. Meanwhile, Maryam struggles to balance her aspirations for pediatric medicine with a life-long relationship. She mentions that the first man she kisses will be her husband.

Fatima and Qureshi convincingly deliver Sam’s pragmatism and Maryam’s idealism. We frequently see Sam attempt upward mobility in a male-dominated public relations office while her chief client is a conservative senatorial candidate (George Wendt) who grasps negative views of immigrants. Granted, it’s a surprise to see Wendt on-screen, but he’s also playing off-type from the friendly Norm from “Cheers” (1982 – 1993). Everyone in New York knows his name, but half of the voters wish they hadn’t.

Speaking of notable stars, if you are not familiar with Lillete Dubey, she enjoys a prestigious 40-year acting career in theatre, television, and film with a list of credits that runs 10 miles long.

Back to Maryam, this inexperienced early 20-something finally starts dating Shahid, and before you can say, “Let’s ask for the check,” the two are engaged. However, their shared ambitions clash with conventional marital-role norms.

Admittedly, the sisters’ narratives aren’t particularly riotous, but the engaging, playful tension - between Khala’s wishes and the young women’s current lifestyles – works well and offers audience admiration and empathy.

Meanwhile, Ameera’s expeditions deliver the biggest laughs and affection, as her steadfast plans for doctor fishing are lured away by Gabriel (Godfrey, a.k.a. Godfrey C. Danchimah Jr.), a likable, engaging store owner. Gabriel and Ameera share heartfelt chemistry and genuine delight during bouncy discourse about Eddie Murphy movies and mango lassi drinks. Ameera’s forthright, altruistic nature breathes assured charisma, and Treasury’s work is a joy to watch.

Filmed in New York City, “Americanish” delivers several outdoor shots of local neighborhoods and storefronts. Hence, Zawahry and cinematographer Chloe Weaver capture the general ambiance of New York. However, most of the character interactions occur indoors – at Khala’s home, Sam’s workplace, a couple of restaurants, and more - so the filmmakers don’t take full advantage of the big city location, but we do see a brief subway scene and a kinetic third-act neighborhood foot race.

On the other hand, the script showcases oodles of cultural mentions, both verbal and visual, including food and a bracelet that “keeps the evil eye away”, and costume designer Annie Simon sows and sews gorgeous textile choices of magentas, pinks, greens, and oranges, as “Americanish” warmly strolls in Pakistani and Muslim traditions.

Since the 1970s, U.S. women have been grappling to find the precise equilibrium between careers and marriages. Sam, Maryam, and Ameera openly and effectively share their 21st-century travels on this rocky road. Yes, “Americanish” is a lighthearted rom-com, but this serious concern easily invests interest in Sam’s, Maryam’s, and Ameera’s fates. Let’s hope for beautiful endings, and Maryam, of course, has a head start.

She met a Matt Damon/Brad Pitt love child.

Jeff’s ranking

2.5/4 stars

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Flora and Son – Movie Review

Directed and written by: John Carney

Starring: Eve Hewson, Oren Kinlan, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jack Reynor, and Don Wycherley

Runtime: 97 minutes

‘Flora and Son’ isn’t as moving as ‘Once’ or as fun as ‘Sing Street’, but Hewson and Gordon-Levitt share warm chemistry and a beautiful song

Meet Flora.

As director/writer John Carney’s (“Once” (2007), “Begin Again” (2013), “Sing Street” (2016)) film opens, Flora (Eve Hewson) and her bestie dash to a dance floor at a small Dublin club and bust up some serious, electric moves.

This big-personality, short-in-stature 31-year-old grooves with a purpose, with a certainty. At first glance, Flora seems to have all the answers, as she boogies with her bud to release tension, have fun, and possibly meet a guy.

We soon discover she doesn’t possess all the solutions to the world’s problems. Flora meets the wrong guy and makes a regretful but ultimately harmless decision, but this directionless, working-class lady hasn’t helped herself for three decades.

She’s a struggling nanny who resides in a modest flat with her 14-year-old son, Max (Oren Kinlan), and shares custody with his father, Ian (Jack Reynor), a one-time rock star whose band shared a bill with Snow Patrol.

These days, Flora and Ian’s icy relationship is only transactional, shuffling Max between their two abodes. Meanwhile, Max and she frequently storm through blizzards of acidic discourse, as any love seems buried in a permanent deep freeze.

She and Max are stuck, and the troublesome lad has sticky fingers. He frequently steals, and a law enforcement officer – played by Don Wycherley, who was perfectly cast in Carney’s “Sing Street” as a strict school instructor – tells Flora, “Find him something to do, something to keep those light fingers occupied.”

She does, as she discovers a discarded acoustic guitar and hopes that music could form a delightful distraction for Max. Yes, the melodious art form plays a central role in “Flora and Son”, a familiar and welcome theme in Carney’s most recognized movies.

The bottom line is that “Flora and Son” isn’t as moving as “Once” and not nearly as fun as “Sing Street”, but Carney, Hewson, Kinlan, Reynor, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt offer enough harmonious collaboration and chemistry - over 97 minutes – to spur a watch on AppleTV+ or at the theatres.

Gordon-Levitt plays Jeff, a Los Angeles guitar instructor, someone new to brighten Flora’s rather gray, humdrum worldview. After Max rejects his mother’s overtures to learn the six-string instrument, Flora takes the initiative to attempt the pastime, and the patient, soft-spoken Jeff offers frequent reprieves from her daily emotional churn with Max, Ian, and career hamster wheel.

Can this guitar newbie absorb Jeff’s lessons, become an exceptional axewoman, and have Snow Patrol open for her by the film’s finale?

No, that’s not Carney’s vision.

This picture is a character-driven piece about an imperfect human being who tries strolling on a righteous path with intention and keen interest, even though Flora chooses Jeff as a teacher because she “likes the look of” him and wants to play guitar so men will find her attractive.

She’s not bathing in oceans of idealism, but her actions are positive steps toward some enlightenment and joy.

Not surprisingly, the film’s best moments are during Flora and Jeff’s lessons. Since they live 5,000-plus miles apart between Dublin proper and Topanga Canyon, they engage with one another via their laptops. Several movies that filmed during the 2020 and 2021 lockdowns filled their frames with Zoom applications as an interaction method for their isolated characters, and the results were mixed.

However, here, Flora’s computer fills much less of the movie screen as she sits over it in a park or at her flat, and – weirdly, in 2023 – the effect feels organic and natural. However, Carney also uses the magic of cinema to, at times, bring this instructor/student duo - who double as a pair of lonely hearts – together for some warm, enchanting moments.

One scene includes the movie’s best song (one that this critic won’t name), as Flora and Jeff earnestly attempt a duet that perfectly describes their physical distance and emotional connection.

Beautiful stuff.

In addition to forging a rapport with Jeff, Flora must repair her broken bonds with Max. At first, their verbal jousts amuse. For instance, when the officer (Wycherley) questions Max, Flora comically orders her son to “answer him properly, you f*cking idiot.”

However, soon after, the language turns wickedly harsh, raw, and unpleasant. The comedy drastically fades, and moms in movie theatres will start covering their young children’s ears. Now, the film’s overall story is PG-13 material, as a mom and son attempt to fix their relationship while she also looks to brighten her outlook and dating prospects, even if the chief possibility lives across the ocean.

Unfortunately, Flora and others regularly use salty language, and our title character delves into explicit sexual talk with Ian that is vastly inappropriate for children, as pointed out by a mother (without her child in the audience) during a September Phoenix screening.

The caustic speech is understandable, given Flora’s current state of being. Still, it’s a shame that this specific reason pushes “Flora and Son” to an R-rating when the material – at its core – is more accessible to broader audiences.

Speaking of broader audiences, Carney and his team expand their musical repertoire from previous films as Max turns to a modern vehicle – his computer – to write and perform a catchy rap, “Dublin07”.

Additionally, Carney and composer Gary Clark often embrace industrial beats in the background while Flora marches across her neighborhoods to Ian’s place or her nanny gig or wondering about Max’s whereabouts.

The whereabouts, journey, and eventual arc of Flora and Max’s relationship didn’t completely click (at least to this critic), and some of their repair work pushes through a convenient third-act montage, when perhaps more precious on-screen minutes of authentic face-to-face, heart-to-heart words are needed.

Granted, parents might find Flora and Max’s exchanges more satisfying than this childless adult. Still, you might leave the theatre wanting more. Well, let the studio or an influential promoter put Hewson – Bono’s real-life daughter – and Gordon-Levitt on tour.

Sign me up for that concert!

Jeff’s ranking

2.5/4 stars

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Dumb Money – Movie Review

Directed by:  Craig Gillespie

Written by:  Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo, based on Ben Mezrich’s book

Starring:  Paul Dano, Shailene Woodley, Pete Davidson, Vincent D’Onofrio, Nick Offerman, Seth Rogen, America Ferrera, Myha’la Herrold, Talia Ryder, Anthony Ramos, Clancy Brown, and Sebastian Stan 

Runtime:  105 minutes

‘Dumb Money’: This GameStop stock market story is a worthwhile buy

Roaring Kitty!

Who or what is Roaring Kitty?

It sounds like a CrossFit team name or a Cats of Instagram sensation.

In director Craig Gillespie’s (“Lars and the Real Girl” (2007), “I, Tonya” (2017)) Wall Street dramedy/biopic, Roaring Kitty is Keith Gill’s (Paul Dano) YouTube handle. You see, Keith offers investment advice to his followers all over the U.S.A. and beyond.

Craig and screenwriters Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo didn’t make up this moniker out of thin air. “Dumb Money” is based on Keith’s real-life story, as he shouted from the mountain tops – in 2021 - about the market value of GameStop, the retail outlet that sells video games. Actually, he declared his financial beliefs from his basement, but his efforts churned a firestorm of dismay and disbelief that received worldwide attention on television, in corporate boardrooms, and from small-time investors.

“Dumb Money” is an underdog story in the dog-eat-dog world of the financial markets, where massive canines with billions in wealth carry colossal (and essentially all the) power over average investors who seem like tiny puppies in comparison, or in Keith’s case, a kitten.

But through the power of the Internet, Keith and legions of individual financiers find themselves with a seat at the table, a place they weren’t previously allowed.

With a runtime of 105 minutes, the film allocates the first 35 – which, admittedly, is quite a while - to introduce the on-screen players, as Gillespie draws stark differences between the few giants of monetary royalty and several paupers.

We see Steve (Vincent D’Onofrio), Ken (Nick Offerman), and Gabe (Seth Rogen) enjoying their modern-day castle-like domiciles and swanky resorts, as they seem like the male versions of Marie Antoinette while eating their cakes. They create a stark contrast with GameStop worker Marcus (Anthony Ramos), college students Harmony (Talia Ryder) and Riri (Myha’la Herrold), and nurse Jenny (America Ferrera), who have little to negative liquidity, but the latter four are anonymously connected to Roaring Kitty.

Ramos and Ferrera are particularly good at gaining our sympathy for Marcus and Jenny.

(Two 30-something know-it-alls, Vlad (Sebastian Stan) and Baiju (Rushi Kota), from a company called Robinhood, appear during the movie’s 35th minute. They are barely heard from again until the 3rd act, but there’s a method to Gillespie’s madness.)

Keith religiously sits in front of his multiple monitors in his non-descript space, and Marcus, Harmony, Riri, and Jenny watch and listen as their 30-something online financial advisor recommends GameStop as a stock, trading at about three dollars.

Will they or won’t they buy?

Keith follows his own advice. They do too, and so do countless others.

Suddenly, this dog-with-fleas stock with questionable fundamentals starts barking upward while Keith and many others roar and purr with delight.

The film gleefully and rapidly jumps from investor to investor, between the haves and have-nots, as the former curses GameStop’s success, and the latter lauds it!

Essentially, Gillespie gives us lessons (through a palatable and consumable fashion) in current-day investing as we discover the definitions of dumb money, shorts, diamond hands, and a squeeze play.

Granted, it’s not easy to absorb these Finance 401 tutorials, but all you need to know is that D’Onofrio, Offerman, and Rogen are the villains as we observe a race to the top or bottom. Hopefully, our heroes rise to ivory-tower heights, and the baddies end up in their mothers’ basements.

Keith broadcasts his ideas from his cellar, of course, and Gillespie, Blum, and Angelo carve out thoughtful amounts of movie minutes to explore the dynamics with Keith’s family, including his parents, supportive wife (Shailene Woodley), and belligerent brother (Pete Davidson).

Kevin (Davidson) adds zero value to the film’s financial equations, and he receives too much screen time, given the subject matter. Still, Davidson offers comic relief, as the SNL alum plays one of the biggest on-screen lunkheads in recent memory. Yes, D’Onofrio’s, Offerman’s, and Rogen’s characters are pretty horrible human beings, but they aren’t as acidic and abrasive during their day-to-day stomping on millions of working stiffs.

Frankly, it’s a good thing that the aforementioned three actors are recognizable faces because Steve, Ken, and Gabe don’t do much other than gab on the phone or occasionally in person. The bottom line is that the three antagonists don’t feel as sinister (or carry the charisma) of Michael Douglas’ Gordon Gekko.

Not even close.

Still, “Dumb Money” is an engaging historical recreation of the GameStop rollercoaster ride, especially for John and Jane Q. Public, who didn’t follow the story. The screenplay doesn’t venture far away from the alleged events. Broader questions aren’t answered (except at the very end, just before the end credits). It shines a spotlight on this chaotic stock-market journey as another example of our inequitable, messy world.

With all the noise, Dano is a near-perfect choice to play Keith, as an everyman with sincere convictions and a tangible sensitivity about his surroundings, in the markets and with his family. After a few cinematic minutes, this critic would follow Keith’s advice and regularly tune into his Roaring Kitty channel. The only crack in Dano’s armor is that Keith – in real life - was (about) a 4-minute miler on the track, which seems like a stretch for Paul, and to be fair, same here. I’m good for a 10-minute mile on an extremely good day.

“Dumb Money” isn’t an extremely good movie, but it’s a worthwhile buy, especially if you have an interest in the topic and enjoy rooting for the underdog.

Jeff’s ranking

2.5/4 stars

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The Best of TIFF – Part Two

Following the Sept. 15 “The Best of TIFF – Part One” article, here are five more of my favorites from the 48th Annual Toronto International Film Festival. Now, yours truly didn’t catch the TIFF Audience Award winner, “American Fiction” starring Jeffrey Wright, but I did watch 46 other movies over 11 days and highly recommend that you seek out this cinematic quintet, films that will hopefully soon arrive at a theatre or streaming service near you!

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“Anatomy of a Fall” – Samuel (Samuel Theis), a husband and father, falls to his death from the top floor of his French countryside home, and an investigation dissects the anatomy of his fall. However, the inquiry soon reveals the anatomy – and the complex layers - of the relationship between Samuel and his wife, Sandra (Sandra Huller). Director Justine Triet’s absorbing and knotty courtroom drama keeps us guessing over 150 minutes, and this 2023 Palme d’Or winner deserves – at a minimum - Best Original Screenplay and Best Actress Oscar nominations. Huller is flat-out outstanding and gifts her character with deep nuance and striking bravado. It's the finest lead actress performance of the year so far.

“The Holdovers” – Alexander Payne (“Election” (1999), “Sideways” (2003)) is back to form in his hilarious - and sometimes heartfelt - story about an unlikable boarding school teacher (Paul Giamatti) who stays over Christmas break – against his will - to look after the kids who aren’t going home. Set in 1970, Payne leans into the period with an engaging soundtrack, rustic automobiles, and sobering dialogue about the Vietnam War. Speaking of dialogue, Mr. Hunham (Giamatti) teaches Ancient Civilizations and doesn’t hesitate to frequently apply his knowledge of the subject inside and outside the classroom. Giamatti is a legend.

“The Settlers” – In his stunning first feature, Felipe Galvez Haberle galvanizes a raw, brutal journey across the Chilean and Argentinian landscapes, where a pair of vicious mercenaries (Mark Stanley and Benjamin Westfall) and a principled hired hand (Camilo Arancibia) run a long-distance errand for a demanding, wealthy landowner. Set at the turn of the 20th century, the film’s deliberately grainy, muddy look and wide-open spaces stir feelings of Wes Craven’s “The Last House on the Left” (1972), a Werner Herzog production, and 1960s spaghetti westerns.

“The Teachers’ Lounge” – Leonie Benesch (“The White Ribbon” (2009), “Persian Lessons” (2020)) leads a talented ensemble of child and adult actors in a rapid-fire, restless tale of a teacher (Benesch) stepping over the line to investigate a wave of recent thefts at a German middle school. Ilker Catak’s movie triples as an ethical narrative, whodunnit, and claustrophobic thriller while also examining the modern-day relationships between parents, students, and educators. The 98-minute runtime zips by, and before you know it, the last bell rings, and the end credits roll.

“Toll” – Suellen (Maeve Jinkings) has a problem. Well, she thinks she does. Suellen discovers her teenage son, Antonio (Kauan Alvarenga), is gay and wants to set him “straight” at a conversion program, but she is a broke toll booth worker and doesn’t have the money. As luck would have it, her boyfriend includes her in a lucrative robbery ring, so her difficulties are now behind her, right? Carolina Markowicz’s (“Charcoal” (2022)) unconventional and frank second feature is constantly engaging, and her lively script and Jinkings’ and Alvarenga’s million-dollar performances are infinitely more valuable than a pocketful of loose change or the price of a movie ticket.

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The Best of TIFF – Part One

Toronto temperatures are pleasantly resting around 70 degrees F (21 C), but the 48th Annual Toronto International Film Festival’s (TIFF) movies are on fire. Once again, this revered Canadian jewel offers countless, dazzling movie options for professionals and fans of all ages.

I’ve caught 35 films so far (as of Sept. 14, Day 8), so let me take a moment to jot down five of my favorites. On Sept. 22, I’ll add five more for a Best of TIFF 2023 – Part Two article.

Thank you for reading, and I’ll see you soon, Phoenix!

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“Dream Scenario” – College professor and family man Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage) spends his days teaching lectures about evolutionary biology and supporting his wife, Janet (Julianne Nicholson), and their two daughters. However, nights suddenly become problematic because friends, colleagues, and complete strangers inexplicably begin dreaming about him. What? This mild-mannered, nondescript educator becomes an overnight sensation, and as Kristoffer Borgli’s wildly entertaining movie unfolds over 100 minutes, it becomes abundantly clear that Cage is a dream choice to play Paul.

“Fallen Leaves” – Match.com and other dating apps don’t appear in director/writer Aki Kaurismaki’s eccentric dramedy, so Ansa (Alma Poysti) and Holappa (Jussi Vatanen) must connect the old-fashioned way, by a chance meeting, perseverance, and some luck along the way. Initial sparks fly (internally, of course) for Ansa, a bashful grocery store clerk, and Holappa, an unpolished construction worker. However, they struggle to navigate their courtship via Kaurismaki’s hilarious, deadpan script and inventive framing, as well as art director Ville Gronroos’ visual delights, including countless hip posters hovering in the background. Love isn’t perfect, but this Finnish charmer gets pretty close.

“Perfect Days” – 2023 Cannes Best Actor winner Koji Yakusho fills the screen with simple pleasures and wonder as Hirayama, a janitor who cleans public toilets all over Tokyo. Director/co-writer Wim Wenders (“The American Friend” (1977), “Wings of Desire” (1987)) offers a leisurely pace over a two-hour runtime, as evidenced by the movie’s first seven minutes that document Hirayama’s morning rituals. The earnest custodian approaches his mundane tasks with gravitas and pride, and Wenders and Yakusho gradually reveal clues that there is more to this 60-something than meets the eye.

“The Delinquents” – Moran (Daniel Elias) is a loyal, long-standing Buenos Aires bank employee, but this middle-aged rule follower has over two decades of shuffling papers until his retirement. Well, Moran decides to break the rules and pocket a fortune by robbing his employer. He needs a partner and recruits his unsuspecting co-worker, Roman (Esteban Bigliardi), in director/writer Rodrigo Moreno’s 180-minute comedy-crime flick, one that – miraculously – is both utterly straightforward and unorthodox. Elias and Bigliardi are terrific as this unlikely pair, but Margarita Molfino will steal your attention.

“The Zone of Interest” – Director/writer Jonathan Glazer (“Sexy Beast” (2000), “Under the Skin” (2013)) recreates Rudolf Hoss’ (Christian Friedel) home that literally sits on the other side of a wall to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Hoss, his wife, Hedwig (Sandra Huller), and their children go about their lives like a suburban family while unspeakable atrocities occur just meters away. During a TIFF Sept. 10 screening, Glazer called his film – and he may have been quoting someone else – “’Big Brother’ in a Nazi house.” This critic calls “Zone” surreal, chilling, haunting, and one of the best films of 2023, a movie that deserves Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Director, Cinematography, and Sound.

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Werner Herzog Birthday Triple Feature

Celebrate Werner Herzog’s birthday with this fabulous triple feature

 by Jeff Mitchell

Filmmaker legend Werner Herzog turns 81 years young on September 5, and this innovative director has been challenging and dazzling audiences with his narrative stories and documentaries for 61 years!  I’ve repeatedly declared that Werner and Morgan Freeman should narrate everything, and Herzog’s movies - with his intellect, cinematic choices, and unique staccato (uttered during his docs) - are must-see events. 

Not only is Werner inventive in front of and behind the camera, but the man is fearless, as evidenced by his explorations across the globe, including several volcanoes, an ancient cave, the Amazon rainforest, and Antarctica. 

However, one of his most dangerous encounters is not with a location but with a person, Klaus Kinski.  

Kinski (1926 – 1991) was an unstable, explosive, and unpredictable personality and, quite frankly, a maniac of sorts.  At times, he was impervious to reason.  Still, Werner worked with Klaus on five movies. 

During an in-person talk (that was posted on March 30, 2012 by BAMorg on YouTube), Herzog said, “I always get the very best out of actors.  Always, magnificent, including Kinski, by the way, who did 205 shitty films, but in my films, he’s really magnificent.”

To celebrate Werner’s birthday, here is a Herzog triple feature, and all three movies - one insightful doc and two renowned narratives – feature Kinski.

Enjoy, and Happy Birthday, Werner!

“My Best Fiend” (1999) – As mentioned earlier, Werner featured Kinski in five movies, but after watching “My Best Fiend” – in which Herzog describes, rationalizes, and demonizes his contentious relationship with the man – you’ll wonder how they ever finished one.  Although their initial movie was “Aguirre, the Wrath of God” (1972), they first met when Werner was 13.  Werner travels to a specific Munich apartment building – his childhood home for a stretch - and recalls that his family lived with Klaus for a few months.  What?  Werner illustrates Kinski’s sheer madness at that time, and the documentary also offers footage from all five flicks, including the infamous actor’s mindless rages on “Aguirre” and “Fitzcarraldo” (1982), as Herzog and others on the sets describe their surreal experiences too.  Still, Werner worked with him for years, but hey, what are fiends for!

“Aguirre, the Wrath of God” (1972) - The year is 1560, and an ambitious group of conquistadors look for El Dorado, the Lost City of Gold, deep in the heart of South America, but their journey is anything but gilded.  This massive troop of unhappy travelers – who trudge up and down steep mountains, slog through deep pools of mud, and paddle aimlessly on a raging river – are led by Gonzalo Pizarro (Alejandro Repulles) and Don Pedro de Ursua (Ruy Guerra).  However, their troubles go from bad to hopeless when Don Lope de Aguirre (Kinski) begins calling the shots, and this delusional egomaniac fires figurative and actual bullets to secure his hold on the dwindling flock.  Herzog captures jaw-dropping images of the Spanish nationals, slaves, and locals descending – almost from the heavens – into the tropical beauty, but once they set foot into their despairing reality, anguish slowly encircles them via the elements, indigenous forces, and within their own company.  With a near-constant looks of rage, vengeance, or determination, Aguirre both passively and aggressively decrees his twisted ideals, while Werner’s vision deliberately kills any wish for his audience to plan a camping trip.

“Nosferatu the Vampyre” (1979) – Herzog sinks his teeth into a horror classic and chews a chilling arthouse picture with Kinski playing the title role.  Makeup artists Dominique Colladant and Reiko Kruk work – almost supernatural – magic in applying Kinski’s monster maquillage.  Count Dracula has a shocking, sallow skin tone, terrifying teeth, and frightening fingernails, which make an appalling appearance in front of an unsuspecting Jonathan Harker (Bruno Ganz).  Werner takes a minimalist approach with The Count’s close encounters and brilliantly relies on his marvelous cast to drive the tension with each mesmerizing interaction, and Dracula’s initial pursuit of Jonathan is fodder for frequent nightmares.  Isabelle Adjani is helpfully haunting as Lucy, and Roland Topor’s delirious take on Renfield should be the principal template for the character until the end of time.  Of course, Kinski is a fearsome sicko as Dracula, who works wonders with movement in small spaces.  However, Herzog doesn’t confine his production to an indoors-only film.  He captures majestic shots of seaside strolls, mountainous terrains, and stark impressions of countless coffins and rats infiltrating Harker’s hometown of Wismar, Germany.  Yes, please invite this Nosferatu flick into your homes…if you dare.

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Between Two Worlds – Movie Review

Directed by: Emmanuel Carrere

Written by: Emmanuel Carrere and Helene Devynck, based on Florence Aubenas’ book

Starring: Juliette Binoche, Helene Lambert, Lea Carne, and Didier Pupin

Runtime: 106 minutes

‘Between Two Worlds’ offers a good message, but it doesn’t reach for the stars to document ground-level hardships

A housekeeper, chambermaid, maintenance technician, and maintenance agent.

They are all similar monikers for one vitality important job, a cleaning person, a position in great demand, but by and large, the role is arduous and thankless.

Journalism – a laborious, underappreciated field – shares much in common with the cleaning industry, especially in recent years, and in director Emmanuel Carrere’s “Between Two Worlds”, Juliette Binoche plays Marianne Winckler, a woman who willingly accepts both jobs.

Marianne, a Parisian journalist, travels 250 km west to Caen and works undercover as a cleaning woman to write a story and shed some light on this scrubbing, dusting, washing, and vacuuming vocation and the adversities surrounding it.

Carrere’s movie premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival and finally receives the light of day (in the U.S.) in August 2023.

Not only does the film have a bit of history behind it – in terms of pure time – but Carrere and Helene Devynck wrote the screenplay based on Florence Aubenas’ 2010 nonfiction book “Le Quai de Ouistreham”. Aubenas, an investigative journalist, worked similarly to her on-screen counterpart, Winckler, where they both accepted strenuous, low-paying jobs.

Generally speaking, economic salvation is challenging, but it’s darn near impossible for these workers.

Aubenas’ book sounds like Barbara Ehrenreich’s famous 2001 read, “Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America”.

As the film opens, Marianne attempts to gain employment at an agency as a 40 or 50-something masquerading as a housewife without a concrete work history. She claims to have graduated from law school 23 years earlier but never practiced due to financial solvency through her (fictional) husband’s business. Without much consternation, she’s hired as a cleaning woman. She begins her alter-ego journey and documents the drudgery when she’s not scrubbing toilets, washing windows, changing bedding, and wiping down microwaves.

Early in the first act, Marianne is bent over and scouring public toilets, and her shoulder-length black locks fall in front of her face and into the bowl’s rim. She doesn’t hold her nose in disgust or back down from the challenge. Still, this scene demonstrates one of the few moments – ironically - when the audience witnesses the visceral, physical difficulties on the job.

Sure, over the 106-minute runtime, the film highlights scenes when cleaning crews have stress.

For instance, without a car, how will Marianne or her colleagues – like Chrystele (Helene Lambert) – easily arrive on-site at 6:30 am? For Chrystele, she walks several kilometers to work two or three shifts a day. Having a car of one’s own is a faraway luxury.

How would one pay for gas, insurance, repairs, etc. on only 7.96 euros an hour?

There are others too. Marianne meets Cedric (Didier Pupin), who lost his car through a towing incident because he didn’t have the cash to pull it out of hock. A cleaning contracting manager explains that she is forced to endure verbal abuse from her boss because her job provides an extra 12 hours of pay a week.

Chrystele has three young boys, so how is she financially scrapping by? It’s anyone’s guess.

These reveals, however, are driven by discourse and not on-screen events. The screenplay documents that these hardships exist, but do we feel the characters’ anxiety? That’s an open question, but for the most part, the film tells us their problems.

It doesn’t often show us.

Rather than dive into the financial and emotional plights that happen in the moment, like in Ken Loach’s wildly compelling gig economy drama, “Sorry We Missed You” (2019), “Between Two Worlds” devotes large swathes of minutes toward the workers’ camaraderie. Laughs over team meetings and joys at a bowling party give our supporting players reprieves from their long, grueling workdays.

Marianne joins them as an undercover outsider.

Juliette gives a convincing performance with Marianne’s double-agent persona, and the movie’s second half leans into her deception with her new friends. They don’t know she’s a journalist. Still, the tension over Marianne’s moralistic conundrum doesn’t feel as palatable as it probably should, although the third act’s human collision is fairly effective in dishing out bumps and bruises.

Marianne’s pressure doesn’t register like Terry’s (Sean Penn) undercover work in infiltrating the Irish mob in “State of Grace” (1990) or “The Boston Globe” reporters investigating the Catholic Church’s unholy problems in “Spotlight” (2015). Then again, this movie’s subject is more inherently nuanced than hard crime.

Carrere and Binoche get their points across, and “Between Two Worlds” dives deeply into business relationships, friendships, and Marianne’s duplicity (no matter how noble her intentions), and these filmmaking objectives give depth to the characters. Unfortunately, the tolls of 15-hour shifts, zero bank balances, no sick days, empty bellies, and desperate cries for help largely – but not completely - go unseen in real time, as the film doesn’t reach for the stars to document ground-level hardships.

Jeff’s ranking

2/4 stars

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Jules - Movie Review

 Directed by:  Marc Turtletaub 

Written by:  Gavin Steckler

Starring:  Ben Kingsley, Harriet Sansom Harris, Jane Curtin, Zoe Winters, and Jade Quon

Rated:  PG-13

Runtime:  87 minutes

‘Jules’:  This small-town sci-fi flick has eccentric, arthouse choices, laughs, and plenty of heart

 “E.T. phone home.” – E.T., “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” (1982)

 “I think that we ought to change our town slogan.  ‘A great place to call home’ is confusing.  I suggest, ‘A great place to refer to as home.’” – Milton Robinson (Ben Kingsley), “Jules”  

Milton’s home is Boonton, a modest Western Pennsylvania community, and this 78-year-old John Q. Citizen doesn’t travel very far – to the town council – to lend his suggestions for the municipality.  He lives a simple life, but early signs of Alzheimer’s complicates it greatly and draws concern from his daughter Denise (Zoe Winters). 

 Milton is concerned too. 

 However, a visitor from another planet, an actual alien, muddles his world even further when a spaceship lands in Milton’s backyard and on top of his azaleas.

 Director Marc Turtletaub’s (“Puzzle” (2018)) “Jules” might not carry Steven Spielberg’s pomp and circumstance, but this small-town sci-fi flick – with eccentric, arthouse choices, laughs, and plenty of heart – is a winning encounter at your local cinema. 

In fact, “Jules” – in some ways – takes opposite approaches from “E.T.”, including senior citizens – not children – finding life from outer space.  Turtletaub and screenwriter Gavin Steckler also create a few oddball surprises that buck any suggestion that this film is mainstream.  However, ultimately, “Jules” becomes an endearing experience, as it leans into growing older, family, and altruistic intentions from the two leads, Milton and Earth’s new guest, Jules (Jade Quon), an androgynous 5-foot grayish-bluish being. 

 Kingsley generously gives the soft-spoken Milton an accessible vulnerability for the audience.  The general townsfolk don’t take him very seriously due to, perhaps, agism but mainly because of his forgetful nature, especially when he repeatedly raises the same issues, about the local slogan or a needed crosswalk, at the Boonton Town Hall.  He has value, but typical Boontonians generally don’t see it.

 However, Milton’s gentle nature and medical concerns make his backyard the perfect spot for Jules, an extra-terrestrial who hides in plain sight while he repairs his flying saucer. 

 In our reality, just about every UFO sighting (conveniently) occurs in uninhabited locales, where witnesses can be counted on one hand.  More like one finger, so corroboration is generally nonexistent, although the 1997 Phoenix Lights phenomenon is a notable exception, but I digress.

 The fun and dramatic tension play on the contrast between Milton’s safe haven and potentially intrusive locals – or worse yet, the U.S. Government – discovering Jules because who knows what emotional and physical probes the U.S.A. will inflict on our lead’s new tenant.   

An I-hope-no-harm-comes-to-Jules dynamic is welcomingly ever-present over the movie’s thrifty 87-minute runtime, and Quon’s performance is captivating, as Jules doesn’t speak while carrying docile, friendly intentions.  There’s almost a robotic quality to this E.T., but Milton and the audience comprehend Jules’ expressions via temperate movements through his or her slight frame or calming facial looks.

 Jules is also lonely, a theme that emerges in unexpected places for our new intergalactic tourist, Milton, and two other senior citizens, Sandy (Harriet Sansom Harris) and Joyce (Jane Curtin), who suddenly become part of Mr. Robinson’s life.

 All four have loneliness in common, which makes “Jules” a relatable story about making connections and enacting noble gestures.  At times, “Jules” has no accompanying score, as the discourse – on its own - between Milton, Sandy, Joyce, and Jules is plenty to raise our cinematic interest.  Then again, orchestrator Jan Andrees and the music department make timely entrances for moving melodies to tap into our emotions.

 Turtletaub and Steckler offer diverse ideas here, as they overlay their film with melancholy themes and a couple of outright weird brainstorms, including a supporting character embarrassingly breaking into song.  “Jules” certainly has much to say in less than 90 minutes, and it’s worth a listen…and a look. 

 Move over Elliott.  Meet Milton. 

 Jeff’s ranking 

3/4 stars

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Shortcomings – Movie Review

Directed by: Randall Park

Written by: Adrian Tomine

Starring: Justin H. Min, Sherry Cola, Ally Maki, Tavi Gevinson, Debby Ryan, Sonoya Mizuno, Timothy Simons, and Jacob Batalon

Rated: R

Runtime: 87 minutes

‘Shortcomings’: Park’s relationship comedy is long on witty banter and engaging performances

“A fault or failure to meet a certain standard, typically in a person’s character, a plan, or a system.” – the definition of a shortcoming, according to Google

Meet Ben (Justin H. Min).

He has several shortcomings. He’s irritable, cynical, apathetic, and a bit depressed. Ben loves movies and studied film in college for a couple of years but didn’t graduate. He’s not a filmmaker, but this pessimist spins his life story near his dearest passion by managing an independent Berkeley movie theatre.

Unfortunately, he finds more fervor in watching arthouse flicks for hours on end than spending quality time with his girlfriend Miko (Ally Maki), a woman looking for support, warmth, and romance. However, after six years, the only sparks between Ben and Miko these days are arguments over his laptop browser history.

Their relationship appears to be history.

Well, at least temporarily, as Miko lands a 3-month internship in New York City and needs to leave the East Bay. Our unhappy couple is officially on a break in director Randall Park’s “Shortcomings”, a relationship comedy that’s long on witty banter and engaging supporting players and anchored by two winning performances from Min and Sherry Cola, who plays Ben’s best friend, Alice.

Park owns an enormous list of film and television acting credits, 172 and counting, and has dabbled in directing. This movie – based on Adrian Tomine’s 2007 graphic novel, a “work that fully deals with themes of being a young Asian American male in American society” – is his second feature.

Tomine also penned the screenplay, and in a “The Hollywood Reporter” interview at 2023 Sundance, Park says, “I found out that this script, based on this book that I loved for so long, was looking for directors, so I got to throw my hat in the ring.”

Park rings into Ben and Miko’s tired relationship from the get-go, as we first see our troubled hero dismiss a big commercial movie at the East Bay Asian American Film Festival, and she embraces the flick’s values based on its entertainment worth and on-screen representation. This couple sees the world through different lenses.

Miko has no complaints about her current economic circumstances, backed by her father’s trust fund. At the same time, Ben’s schooling failings, limited financial status, and the system at large drive his angst. He’s a curmudgeon, but his complaints are not without merit, so Ben is a sympathetic figure, and credit Min, who appears in nearly every frame during the 87-minute runtime, for delivering this balance. Ben offers valid points, so we’re willing to listen and are occupied with his rantings, not unlike the efforts of Dante (Brian O’Halloran) from “Clerks” (1994) or Rob (John Cusack) from “High Fidelity” (2000).

Ben distracts himself from his stormy days by wandering into the dating scene, which is a bit like stepping on the Autobahn without a crosswalk, and his new interests (Debby Ryan and Tavi Gevinson) aren’t quite ready for commitment or attractions to 9-to-5 office life and stamp collections. It’s the Wild West in the East Bay or anywhere else where single 20 or 30-somethings explore the beautiful madness of it all.

Thankfully, Alice frequently pops into Park’s camera frame with oodles of illuminating advice and a rational voice for Ben as his BFF and de facto counselor. Cola’s welcome comedic presence brings lively chemistry between Alice and Ben (and a needed cinematic balance against Ben’s negativity) as these besties commiserate – at breakfast places, bagel shops, and wherever else - over their winding navigations in the urbanite dating world. They both drive on confusing courting maps, and even though Alice offers sound advice, she doesn’t have all the answers. She makes mistakes and hides her sexuality from her traditional, religious parents, as Ben awkwardly acts as her boyfriend for a planned appearance.

He not only pretends to be her partner but Korean as well. Race is a recurring topic in “Shortcomings” in the forms of both authentic consternation and deliberate comical sequences, including a hilarious scene where an unlikely fellow, Leon (Timothy Simons), speaks fluent Japanese.

Simons, Cola, Maki, Ryan, Gevinson, Sonoya Mizuno, and Jacob Batalon offer effective on-screen steps – forward or backward – on Ben’s journey, as our flawed lead will hopefully find his way around relationship and professional roadblocks and out of the cul-de-sacs of personal trepidation. No question, we empathize with Ben because we all have our shortcomings.

Jeff’s ranking

3/4 stars

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Talk to Me - Movie Review

Dir: Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou

Starring: Sophie Wilde, Miranda Otto, Otis Dhanji, Alexandra Jensen, and Joe Bird

1h 35m

Remember when shaking hands with an evil spirit would've been a terrifying experience? In Danny and Michael Philippou's haunting and horrific scary movie "Talk to Me," teenagers in Australia don't flee in fright from the encounter but instead willingly invite demonic possession into their lives and film every second of the terror for social media. It's an ingenious narrative setup, one that doesn't seem so unrealistic in the world today, that allows the genre storytelling design to push its sinister sights far into the depths of fear, revealing through violent methods a story about grief and isolation that builds an unnerving sense of dread that slowly permeates the entire tale.

The story begins at a house party where a young man barricades himself in the bedroom in an environment of loud music and conversation. When a concerned friend breaks the door down, pulling the troubled young man through a gathering of curious teens recording every second on their phones, the party ends with a startling act of violence. Danny and Michael Philippou do a great job of establishing the dark tone for the film from the beginning, establishing a sense of panic that leads to chaos, all while maintaining an uneasy tension throughout.

Mia (Sophie Wilde), a lonely and grief-stricken young woman, is recovering from a traumatic event, spending most of her time in the home of her best friend Jade (Alexandra Jensen) and Jade's little brother Riley (Joe Bird). The close friends organize a party to play a macabre game featuring a sculpted contorted hand. As one partygoer describes it, the hand belonged to a medium, and their embalmed appendage resides inside the sculpture. Mia, eagerly volunteering, accepts the challenge to play the game. The rules are simple: shake the hand and recite the words "talk to me." Immediately after saying the phrase, Mia sees a frail woman sitting across the table. Mia utters the words, "I let you in," and her body becomes possessed by the spirit.

Compelling horror films have a way of tapping into shared emotions, utilizing those universal sentiments to induce a specific kind of fear in each viewer. One of the most vital components of "Talk to Me" is its ability to connect themes surrounding grief, loneliness, and love and manipulate them as a vessel of fear to target those interconnected feelings. Mia's character is a culmination of all these feelings; the tragic loss of her mother makes her trauma an easy source of manipulation for the tortured souls brought forward by the handshake.

"Talk to Me" builds an atmosphere of unrelenting dread. Initially, the tone is structured to offer a few moments of brief fun. However, once the friends organize the possession party, where they all take turns inviting the spirits into their bodies, the film reaches its threshold for good vibes and becomes consistent with scare tactics. These terror-inducing moments have strength because of the well-crafted characters, who are all likable and sympathetic on different levels. One of the best relationships in the film exists between Mia and Riley, who have a sibling-like relationship built on trust and compassion. When bad things happen to these two characters, the film's horror hits much harder. As Mia falls deeper into the spell of the possession she invited, her emotions begin to betray her good intentions, influencing her decisions in sinister ways.

Sophie Wilde is exceptional in the lead role, composing a nuanced character while being so affected by the different emotions entering her life. While in the trance of the possession, Wilde unleashes intense mannerisms, making the character feel like an entirely other person through the eyes. Playing young Riley, Joe Bird does superbly in a subtle emotional role that turns aggressively physical. The entire movie rests on the shoulders of these character constructions and performances. Without Sophie Wilde's ability to convey the highs and lows that the character is experiencing or Alexandra Jensen's commitment as the sole tie that binds the friends together, "Talk to Me" would still be an accomplished film but not an emotional one that lingers with you long after the credits role. The combination of unrelenting horror and sincere humanity makes the film so scary.

"Talk to Me" is currently the best horror film of 2023. Its ability to create a haunting atmosphere peaked with unnerving tension and supported by creative genre subversions and superb performances, makes it an exceptional horror experience.

Monte's Rating

4.00 out of 5.00

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