Tag: Drama

REVIEW: ‘Rental Family’ succeeds thanks to Fraser and sincere writing

Who would have guessed we’d have two films this year with a guy pretending to be a member of a family? It’s like “Deep Impact” and “Armageddon” again.

OK, in reality, unlike “Roofman” with Channing Tatum, the lead character in this movie isn’t a criminal on the run. Instead, Brendan Fraser stars as actor Phillip Vandarploeug. Once able to get steady work in Japan, acting in commercials and TV, Phillip’s job prospects have dried up.

Looking to keep his career rolling, he decides to take a gig with a different type of agency. Rather than acting in media productions, the company he starts working for has him portray relatives of family members. Skeptical at first, Phillip begins to build connections in the role.

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REVIEW: Visually stunning ‘Train Dreams’ fails to fully connect

“Train Dreams” is a film that, in theory, should be one a viewer can fully embrace. In practice, though, it’s another story.

Speaking of story, the one at play here revolves around Robert (Joel Edgerton). A laborer in Idaho, Robert finds himself getting work in the timber and railroad industries starting in the 1910s. It’s around this time he also meets Gladys (Felicity Jones), who he begins a relationship with and later marries.

The film follows his time at home, as he builds a life with Gladys and the two have a child. The audience also gets to see his days at work, where he meets others from across the country who’ve come to the forested terrain to earn a living.

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REVIEW: ‘Sentimental Value’ is a gripping, powerful family drama

Art, family and generational experiences spectacularly collide in this multilingual picture.

“Sentimental Value” centers on a pair of sisters, Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas), who are navigating life after the death of their mother. During this time, they’re approached by their estranged father, Gustav (Stellan Skarsgard), a celebrated director who left the family when the two women were kids.

Gustav is looking to make a new film after a hiatus in his career, and also wants to reconnect with his daughters. In particular, he wants Nora, a stage actress, to star in his new project. However, after she turns him down, he hires a film actress, Rachel (Elle Fanning), to take the lead role.

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REVIEW: Energized ‘Wicked’ sequel largely enthralls

Broadway buzz is back on the big screen with a second round of “Wicked,” and the experience in the sequel surpasses that of the first.

“For Good” picks up a short while after the events of “Wicked.” Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is working to disrupt the actions of Oz (Jeff Goldblum), who she’s found out has no magic at his disposal. In response, He and his associate, Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) are slamming her with propaganda, labeling her the Wicked Witch of the West.

Glinda (Ariana Grande), meanwhile, has been put forward as Glinda the Good, with Oz presenting her as a positive witch to rally around against Elphaba’s efforts. While the two are pitted against each other, though, their friendship remains. Yet its strained as the situation in the realm grow more dire under the leadership of Oz and Morrible.

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REVIEW: ‘Frankenstein’ is a gothically gorgeous creation

Guillermo del Toro was made for this.

The latest movie from the visionary director is right up his alley, from the story itself to the aesthetic. The film is of course an adaptation of the 1818 Mary Shelley novel. In del Toro’s take, Oscar Isaac portrays Baron Victor Frankenstein. The movie picks up with the doctor in the cold wilderness of the North Pole. There, he’s found by a Danish Naval crew from a nearby ship.

It’s to the captain of that ship (Lars Mikkelsen) that he tells his story. He describes how he had a vision of stopping death after his mother’s passing, which led him into a career of medicine and science. Then from there, how it led him to bringing the Creature (Jacob Elordi) to life Continue reading “REVIEW: ‘Frankenstein’ is a gothically gorgeous creation”

REVIEW: ‘Is This Thing On’ mostly works, though doesn’t stick landing

Maybe it’s just me, but I feel if Will Arnett wasn’t available for this flick, Jason Sudeikis probably could have filled in well enough.

Anyway, Arnett lends his talent in this flick to play Alex Novak, a man whose marriage appears to be coming to a complete end. Alex agreed to separate from his wife Tess (Laura Dern), and a divorce appears to be on the horizon.

With his relationship likely over, and subsequent strain on being a dad to his two boys, Alex finds himself struggling to process the situation. He finds a way to channel his thoughts, though, in going to an open mic night and giving stand-up comedy a try. Fortunately for him, it ends up working fairly well.

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REVIEW: Latest ‘Nuremberg’ dramatization intrigues, but lacks focus

The decisive court cases to close World War II’s final chapter have once again been dramatized, but the latest isn’t quite as strong as previous pieces of media.

The latest WW2 period piece takes place during most of the Nuremberg Military Tribunals after Germany’s defeat, with a focus on one of two main mental health professionals present during the process. That individual is Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek), a psychiatrist who spoke with the remnants of Third Reich who were imprisoned during the trial.

His most notable conversations were with Herman Goring (Russell Crowe), second in command to Adolf Hitler. As the film goes on, the discussions and analysis become more important as U.S. Justice Robert Jackson (Michael Shannon), the American lead prosecutor, prepares his case. Continue reading “REVIEW: Latest ‘Nuremberg’ dramatization intrigues, but lacks focus”

REVIEW: Yorgos Lanthimos’ ‘Bugonia’ is a hard-hitting riot

This sequel to “The Beekeeper” is wild.

Kidding, this is not a sequel to the 2024 action vehicle for Jason Statham. Instead, the beekeeper in this film is Teddy (Jesse Plemmons), a paranoid conspiracy theorist who believes aliens have infiltrated Earth for nefarious reasons. The dastardly plot of the aliens, he thinks, is the purposeful destruction of bee colonies.

To put a stop to this effort, Teddy and his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis) decide to kidnap who they believe to be a high-ranking extra-terrestrial. That individual is Michelle (Emma Stone), the CEO of a large pharmaceutical company. The duo is successful, and they hold Michelle with a demand that she help negotiate an end to the aliens’ occupation of Earth.

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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: ‘Smashing Machine’ has some success, but is not a knockout

After several battles in supernatural and bombastic spaces over the last decade Dwayne Johnson now plays a character fighting on a much smaller scale.

In this biopic, Johnson stars as Mark Kerr, an athlete who leveraged his success in college and amateur wrestling into a fighting career. After some initial smaller wins, his abilities attracted promotions like the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride Fighting Championships.

The film follows a portion of his career, mostly from about 1998-2001, and in the process, shows the ups and downs in his life. While he had success in combat sports, Kerr also struggled with an opioid addiction and a turbulent relationship with girlfriend Dawn (Emily Blunt).

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