Biopic – Matthew Liedke on Film

REVIEW: While acting is strong, Bourdain biopic ‘Tony’ is too safe

Another film this summer where Leo Woodall plays a character working under a mentor who’s portrayed by a noteworthy actor.

Unlike “Tuner,” though, where Woodall played opposite Dustin Hoffman, “Tony” has him acting as a cook working under the direction of a chef (Antonio Banderas) at a New England seafood restaurant. Woodall is also in a side role this time, whereas main character duties are with Dominic Sessa, who’s portraying the titular character.

Before he went by Anthony Bourdain while running restaurants and traveling the world as a documentarian, the late chef went simply by Tony, and was a bit lost in life. However, he found some direction when in a summer job at the seafood spot, where he works and learns the trade, while at the same time pursuing a relationship.

REVIEW: ‘Michael’ movie can’t escape mediocrity

I mean, it’s cool to see the background of “Thriller.” But if I want to watch “Thriller,” I could just watch “Thriller?”

That’s a common thought during the course of “Micheal,” a biographical film about the King of Pop during roughly the first 35 years of his life. The picture begins when he was a boy, making waves in the music scene with his brothers as part of the Jackson 5. Under the guidance of their strict father Joseph (Colman Domingo), the group experiences great success.

Michael, played by the musician’s actual nephew Jaafar Jackson, later wants to go on a solo route. The film follows how this creates tension between him and his father, and how he pushed forward to make his notable hits, such as “Beat It.” The film also explores his isolation and difficulty building connections with others.

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REVIEW: ‘Song Sung Blue’ is too schmaltzy for its own good

Wanna hear “Sweet Caroline?” Wanna hear it again? A person gets quite a few opportunities with this flick.

That’s because the main characters of this film make up a Neil Diamond cover band who gained popularity in the Midwest. The film first introduces Mike Sardina, played by Hugh Jackman, as a recovering alcoholic and struggling cover artist. During one event, he meets Claire (Kate Hudson), another performer who has aspirations in music gigs.

The two hit it off not only personally, but also professionally, becoming known as Lightning and Thunder. Together, they find success covering various hits, including “Sweet Caroline.” However, the good times also come with their fair share of challenges for the couple and their family.

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REVIEW: ‘Hamnet’ boasts great performances but pacing is off

The life of William Shakespeare is once again explored in this film, but in this movie, the focus is on the playwright’s wife.

Agnes Shakespeare, portrayed by Jessie Buckley, is introduced as a young woman in “Hamnet” when she first meets William (Paul Mescal). Following a short courtship, the two conceive a child and choose to get married.

The movie then picks up with the couple having a family, including two daughters and their son, Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe). As the film goes on, William and Agnes lose Hamnet to the plague and are left in a state of grief. The situation is made even more stressful as William is away from the family in London to write.

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REVIEW: ‘Blue Moon’ is an enchanting look at a tortured artist

Raise a glass of Blue Moon to this one, because its charm earns a toast.

A film mostly in a single location, “Blue Moon” centers on lyricist Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke), a musician known for hits on Broadway and the song that shares the film’s name. Hart begins the film at the opening night for the production of “Oklahoma” before going to a nearby lounge where an after-show party will be taking place.

While there, he begins speaking with others at the establishment, from the bartender Eddie (Bobby Cannavale) to American author E.B. White. As the night progresses, he shares his vision of where music should go, his creative clashes with former partner Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott) and his infatuation with a young woman he made a connection with, Elizabeth (Margaret Qualley).

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REVIEW: Angelina Jolie is at her absolute best in ‘Maria’

For the third time in a decade, director Pablo Larraín has helmed a biographical film about a complex woman, and like the other two, it’s one of the year’s best.

Larraín previously directed 2016’s “Jackie” about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and 2021’s “Spencer” which centered on Princess Diana. His latest is about the opera singer Maria Callas (Angelina Jolie), though it takes place mainly after her illustrious career.

The movie focuses on the last week of the singer’s life, and explores how she was reflective of a career that she lost. Over time, her voice began to fail her, which caused her to leave her profession, and later her health began declining as well. The film is about the culmination of this, with her still at times trying to sing, while looking at the past and dealing with health issues.

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REVIEW: Superb cast lifts ‘A Complete Unknown’

Hey, they finally made a movie about the guy teased at the end of “Inside Llewyn Davis!”

That guy, of course, is Bob Dylan (Timothee Chalamet), who gets the big screen biopic treatment thanks to director James Mangold. While not showing the entire decade, “A Complete Unknown” follows Dylan’s life through most of the 60s, showing his musical evolution in a changing world.

The film picks up in 1961 with the Minnesota musician arriving in New York City. Dylan made the trip to the Big Apple to visit a musical hero of his, Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy), who’s suffering from Huntington’s disease. While meeting Guthrie at a hospital, he also runs into fellow folk singer Pete Seeger (Edward Norton), who helps Dylan launch his career.

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REVIEW: Chaotic ‘Saturday Night’ has plenty of ups and downs

An episode of “SNL” usually includes its likable cast performing a plethora of sketches, some good and some bad, for a fairly average experience. In that sense, this movie is pretty similar

A dramatic comedy, “Saturday Night” takes place inside Rockefeller Plaza in New York as producer Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) prepares to get his new live television show ready for broadcast. Unfortunately, things aren’t going entirely well and NBC doesn’t have much faith in the show.

It’s already considered a long shot, as it’s populated by unknown comedians like Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith), Dan Aykroyd (Dylan O’Brien) and John Belushi (Matt Wood). The situation is made worse by mishaps on set. However, Lorne remains committed to make sure “Saturday Night” goes live.

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REVIEW: Top tier performances power ‘The Apprentice’

In a vacuum, releasing a biopic about a well-known figure isn’t that big of a deal. But we’re certainly not in a vacuum right now.

This film indeed is about the Republican candidate for president Donald Trump, who’s seeking a second term in office. However, the movie is set decades before he entered the realm of politics. The picture begins in 1973 with a 27-year-old Trump who has a vision for development, but few prospects.

Portrayed by Sebastian Stan, Trump is working with his father Fred’s (Martin Donovan) real estate company, but wants to develop his own buildings, too. His journey gets a jumpstart when he meets and befriends attorney Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), who becomes a mentor to Trump, showing him how to build his own path in life, regardless of the consequences.

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REVIEW: ‘Piece by Piece’ is a fun, though standard, hip hop journey

Ten years ago, directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller introduced the world to the concept of a narrative LEGO movie. Now, Morgan Neville has come along to show he can make a documentary with the animated blocks, too.

“Piece by Piece” uses the same animation style that was seen in previous LEGO films, to tell the story of musician Pharrell Williams. The picture tells his story with the format of a biographical documentary, taking the viewer through his life with recreations of concerts and talking head interviews.

Through this, the audience gets to see how he grew up in Virginia, fell in love with music, started making his own songs and became a sensation.

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