A Complete Unknown

My View:  A Complete Unknown  (2024) R  A Complete Unknown begins in 1961, when a young man from Minnesota arrives in New York City with only a few clothes and a guitar on his back. That man was Bobby Dylan (Timothée Chalamet), and in just a few short years, he would become a worldwide folk singer sensation. But Bob wanted more, and he was about to set the folk world on fire. I am a huge Bob Dylan fan and have seen him in concert 8 times, including my first time with his Rolling Thunder Revue in the Astrodome in Houston, Texas, in January 1976. I still can’t believe that my parents let me and a bunch of teenage nerds drive 3 hours to Houston to see a concert. I had high expectations for this film, and I am pleased to say that it lives up to them. Timothée Chalamet is dazzling in what is undoubtedly an Oscar-nominated performance. Chalamet captures the essence of Dylan up on the screen, while his singing is spot on in the familiar Dylan cadence and tone. It’s a daunting performance, and Chalamet nails it. In fact, all three leads, Chalamet as Dylan, Edward Norton as the folk singer Pete Seeger, and Monica Barbaro as the legendary singer/songwriter Joan Baez, are brilliant in their roles. I loved Norton as Pete Seeger, a man who has been forgotten but was a huge star in the 50s/60s and was known as one of the nicest guys ever to play the musical stage. It's an uncanny performance where Norton effortlessly slips into the character. Monica Barbaro has the most demanding role in the film, as Baez was a singer who had a unique vocal style and range. Barbaro is a force to be reckoned with, even when sharing the screen with Chalamet. When Dylan hit the scene in New York, Baez was the toast of the town and was a huge star in the folk circles. That Dylan was soon to eclipse her is part of the film’s story. The film does a remarkable job of allowing us to watch Dylan navigate his way through stardom, but it never attempts to explain who he is or what he is thinking. That’s because only Bob Dylan knows what the hell is going on in the world that he has created for himself. Also, as Joan says early on, Bob Dylan was and is an asshole. While I loved this film, it's more for the performances than the story, which goes on a little too long and is over-filled with songs. Despite any flaws, A Complete Unknown is filled with brilliant performances and Bob Dylan's music, and that's all you can ask for. Oh, and one more thing: I love Boyd Holbrook as an actor, but he is too pretty to be playing Johnny Cash.  My Rating: Full Price  A Complete Unknown Website Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Nosferatu  (2024)  R  Nosferatu tells the tale of an obsession between a newly married young woman (Lily-Rose Depp) who is haunted by her dreams and a master vampire, Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), who is so infatuated with her he travels across the ocean to be near her. I am a massive fan of films from the silent era, and one of the best is the 1922 film Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, directed by the great F. W. Murnau. You have probably never seen the movie, but I can guarantee you that you have scenes from the film as it has constantly been used in music videos and commercials, notably the Queen/David Bowie music video for ‘Under Pressure.’ Now filmmaker Robert Eggers put his stamp on a remake of the silent film that unquestionably delivers the dark gothic feeling from the original film. Nosferatu is a film about desire, and how that desire can take hold of you, making you do things you would never think you would do in the right frame of mind. Lily-Rose Depp plays Ellen, a newlywed to Thomas (Nicholas Hoult), both eager to start their lives together. Ellen is a woman who has had vivid nightmares since her younger days, some of which cause her to sleepwalk, and those nightmares have recently returned in frequency and intensity. Unfortunately, Thomas has been given a great opportunity. If he completes the sale of a castle to a foreign buyer, he will get a huge promotion. However, Thomas must leave his wife behind and travel a long distance to a remote castle to conduct the paperwork in person. Little does Thomas know that this is a trap, and the man he is to see is the one who has been invading Ellen’s dreams, Count Orlok. The Count is intent on moving near Ellen and taking her for his own. Nosferatu is a brilliant gothic horror film, where Eggers takes the source material and makes it his own. The original Nosferatu is known for its groundbreaking cinematography and set designs. Eggers, known for his films The Witch (2015), The Lighthouse (2019), and The Northman (2022), puts his own look and feel on the tale while also harking back to the shots that Murnau gave us. It’s an impressive-looking film, with tons of dark passages, lonely streets, and a woman’s bedroom that becomes the focus of a madman driven to find a woman he has been desiring for years. Bill Skarsgård plays the Count, and it’s a performance infused of evil and lust. Eggers and his cinematographer, Jarin Blaschle, don’t let us see the full features of the Count until near the end of the film when the horror that has been building comes to a head. Nosferatu is a masterful work that lovers of gothic horror will thoroughly enjoy. And it has an ending that will keep you talking about long after you have walked out of the theater. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Nosferatu Website  Now playing in theaters.

My View:  Babygirl  (2024)  R   In Babygirl, a high-powered CEO, Romy (Nicole Kidman), has everything she’s ever desired except one thing. She finds it in a torrid affair with her much younger intern, Samuel (Harris Dickinson). November is a month when film critics are inundated with screenings/screeners where studios want us to see films before we vote on the best films of the year. So I saw Babygirl a month ago and I am glad that I had time to reflect on the film, as my opinion has changed quite a bit as I have thought about the film. Now, it had nothing to do with the performances, as I think Nicole Kidman could easily get her sixth nomination for Best Performance by an Actress. And Harris Dickinson is outstanding as the young man who sees an opportunity to have some fun with a woman who he almost instantly sees as someone who is missing something in her life. And that something is that Romy wants to be in a role-playing submissive/dominant relationship, something that she feels she will never get from her husband, Jacob (Antonio Banderas), with whom her sex life is boring and unfulfilling. The more I thought about this film, the more I enjoyed that this wasn’t your typical high-powered CEO taking advantage of a younger person. Instead, it was two consenting adults who started a sexual relationship where each wanted something from the other person but were also careful and respectful of that person, pushing the boundaries but never going too far. The film doesn’t pass judgment on these two people. Babygirl creates a lot of suspense in how far the relationship will go and if they will ever be caught. Will it destroy Romy’s career and her marriage? Will others in the company find out about the relationship and use it over Romy? You will have to watch to find out. And give the film some time to percolate in your brain before you come to a conclusion about it.  My Rating: Full Price  Babygirl Website Now playing in theaters.

My View:  The Fire Inside  (2024)  PG-13  The Fire Inside tells the story of Claressa ’T-Rex’ Shields (Ryan Destiny), a boxer from Flint, Michigan, who, with the help of a local gym owner, Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry), trained to become the first American woman in history to win an Olympic gold medal. Claressa realizes that a gold medal doesn’t matter when you’re trying to support your family. The Fire Inside is an outstanding movie based on a real woman, about beating the odds, not just in the ring, but in life as well. Ryan Destiny gives a powerful and moving performance of a young woman who is determined to fight her way to success but is crushed when her success in the ring doesn’t translate to real life in Flint, Michigan. Destiny plays a young woman who doesn’t have the best of home life, is battling the idea that women can’t and shouldn’t box, and the fact that she trains in a gym with limited means but has dreams to one day become an Olympic champion and bring her family wealth and fame. It is rare in a movie when the goal is met halfway through the film as T-Rex, against the odds, wins the first gold medal ever for the American women’s Olympic team (this isn’t a spoiler; it’s in the trailer). But things don’t change for T-Rex when she comes back, and she has to deal with all the problems she had before she won gold. Brian Tyree Henry plays Jason, who reluctantly lets Claressa train at his gym, only to realize she might be the real deal, a woman who can box. Henry was nominated for his role in the 2023 film Causeway, and he just might get another nomination for this role. It is a magical performance of a character who is willing to risk it all for a young woman who has dreams he wants to help come true. There is a scene near the end of the film between Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry that is brilliant between two actors that are bringing magic to the screen. Move over Rocky, there is another rags-to-riches boxing story told here. It just takes a little longer to come true.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  The Fire Inside Website  Now playing in theaters. 

Forgotten Film: The United States of Leland (2003) R  Leland (Ryan Gosling) is a young man who has been sent to a juvenile hall for killing a special needs kid. A teacher (Don Cheadle) spends time with Leland and convinces Leland to start a journal. The teacher soon figures out that he could write a book on Leland if he could read his journal. All the while, the people in the town where Leland lived are trying to comprehend why it happened and are trying to put their lives back together. Overall, the film attempts to put too many stories into the plot, but Don Cheadle, as the teacher who tries to reach Leland through writing, and Kevin Spacey, as Leland’s estranged father, gives us some great performances. Add in the fact the cast includes Jena Malone, Lena Olin, Michelle Williams, Sherilyn Fenn, and a very young Kerry Washington, making it a film worth watching.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee  The United States of Leland Info The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon and iTunes.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Brutalist:  Office Cleaner

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Flight Risk  (2025)  A small plane pilot (Mark Wahlberg) is transporting an Air Marshal (Michelle Dockery) accompanying a fugitive (Topher Grace) to trial. As the flight goes across the Alaskan wilderness, tensions rise, and it becomes obvious that everyone on board isn’t who they seem. Two-time Academy Award-winning Mel Gibson directs the film.   Flight Risk Website  In theaters on Friday, January 24, 2025. 

Until Next Time!

Moana 2

Familyfaire:  Moana 2  (2024)  PG   Moana 2 takes place when Moana receives a message from her wayfinding ancestors and must go on a journey to the far seas of Oceania. Moana and her friends will sail into dangerous, long-lost waters to seek out an island that could unify all the people of Oceania. I really liked Moana (2016). I thought it had a great message, some cool songs, and Auli’i Cravalho, who was delightful in the title role. Even Dwayne Johnson was fun in the role of the demigod. Unfortunately, I can't say the same thing about Moana 2. Despite Auli'i Cravalho's excellent performance and top-notch singing, the plot and rest of the film are lacking. The film was originally conceived as a series, and that's what it feels like. It’s a bunch of 15-minute stories woven together, with some very forgettable songs and a plot that is incredibly hard to follow. The film has an ending that seems rushed and all too easy to happen when the rest of the movie was leading up to this breakthrough point. And don’t get me started on how Johnson’s demigod character has become annoying and bland. Add in Johnson once again trying to sing, and it makes for a long film to watch that only young kids will have fun with, mostly due to the stupid chicken that keeps popping up everywhere. A bonus scene at the end of all the credits explains what happened to one of the main characters in the film and sets up a Moana 3. Let’s hope they get better songs and a better plot.  My Rating: Cable  Moana 2 Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Maria  (2024)  R  Maria is about Maria Callas (Angelina Jolie), who was at one time the world's most famous opera singer with a voice that thrilled the masses. Now Maria has retired and has retreated to Paris, where she is attempting to mount a comeback but cannot escape the past. Maria is a film where the lead's performance lifts a meandering and weak script and makes it watchable. The film follows Maria during the last week that she was alive. She has been retired for five years but wants to mount a comeback. Her problem is twofold: she has a strong addiction to drugs, and her voice, once one of the world's greatest, has become a shadow of her former self. Jolie is brilliant in the role, playing a character who was a huge star whose every move was documented by the paparazzi. Jolie reveals the agony of realizing that Maria will never have that voice back, but she still believes she is a star. The film, though, lets Jolie’s performance down, mired in a series of weird flashbacks and drug-induced fantasies that don’t give you the emotional punch you need. The film never gives us in the flashbacks the big moments in her life, just glimpses of them as Maria stumbles through her last days. Still, Maria is a film to see because Jolie is spectacular in the role. I just wish it had been a different film that showed us why she was the star who captivated the world with her voice.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Maria Website  Now playing in select theaters and on the Netflix platform on December 11, 2024. 

My View:  Dear Santa  (2024)  PG-13   In Dear Santa, every year, tons of kids send letters to Santa. This year Liam (Robert Timothy Smith) sent his letter to someone else because he is a crappy speller: that man, Satan (Jack Black). Who the heck thought that giving Bobby Farrelly, one of the brothers behind films such as Shallow Hal and There’s Something About Mary, the reigns to a Christmas movie for kids would be a good idea? It is rated PG-13, so "it may not be suitable for children." I have no clue who this film is for. I just know that Dear Santa isn’t funny, has Jack Black making some pretty raunchy jokes, jokes that a kid Liam's age shouldn't be hearing and has an incredibly lazy ending. I wasn’t happy with this film almost from the start, as Liam isn’t a crappy speller (as I put in the description). Liam has dyslexia because that’s so funny. And the film goes downhill from there. Liam agrees to a deal with the Devil, granting him three wishes in exchange for his soul, and there are still more ha-ha moments to come. Maybe the kids will enjoy Post Malone being goofy but even that isn't funny. It's just kind of sad. If you find Jack Black dancing around in a leotard hilarious, go ahead and watch Dear Santa; otherwise, watch any other Christmas movie out there. They have to be better than this. My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again  Dear Santa Info     Now playing on the Paramount+ platform.

Indiefest:  All We Imagine as Light  (2024)   All We Imagine as Light is about Prabha (Kani Kusruti) and Anu (Divya Prabha), nurses who work at the same Mumbai hospital and are roommates. Prabha and her husband, who is currently away in Germany, have not seen each other in a year, and the phone calls have stopped coming. Anu is younger and in a relationship with a Muslim boyfriend, which is challenging because of their conflicting religious beliefs. Prabha and Anu take a trip to a coastal town to get away, and there, they learn about life and love. All We Imagine as Light is a beautiful and touching story of love told from the perspective of two women. They are opposites in their lives, yet they are connected by a marriage custom that removes love from the picture. Anu is a young woman in the first stages of love, where you will do just about anything to steal time with that special person. Anu is blinded by love in the moment, not knowing or wanting to care about the future. All she wants is to be with the man she loves. The issue is that her parents won't approve of the relationship. In actuality, they are already preparing candidates for her to wed. Prabha is older, and she never had the chance to find love. Her marriage was arranged, and her husband is off in Germany, seemingly having forgotten her. There is a doctor who she likes and who is interested in her, but it can never happen because she is married. I loved the performances of the two leads. Kani Kusruti, as the sad and lonely Prabha, is brilliant in the role, letting us see Prabha’s true feelings in those small moments when she is alone and her thoughts take over. Divya Prabha, as Anu, is like a breath of fresh air when she is on the screen, making Anu someone who can contain herself when she is in her loved ones’ presence. This is also a love story about Mumbai, the city where they live. We are constantly shown the city as a warm and lively place where romance can happen, with the possibility of getting lost in the crowd on a train or in a restaurant. All We Imagine as Light is a story about love, loneliness, and the hope a city can bring you if you look hard enough. My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  All We Imagine as Light Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

My View:  Beatles ’64  (2024)  Beatles ’64 is a documentary about the Beatles US debut, which created a frenzy that changed the world of music forever. Beatles ’64 is an inside look at the tour of America that the Beatles did in 1964, just months after President Kennedy had been assassinated. Two brothers, Albert and David Maysles, were given unprecedented access to the tour, as we join the Beatles in hotel rooms, trains and backstage at their legendary concerts. We get to experience what it was like for the four lads to tour America for the first time and experience the madness of how America’s teens went nuts over them. The footage includes interviews, both past and present, that detail the experience of being on that tour. And we get to see some of their legendary concert footage, not just the songs they sang on the Ed Sullivan Show, but also concerts in Miami and Carnegie Hall. You will fall in love with the four young men from Liverpool who are just as mystified by the mania that they inspired as the press is. Beatles ‘64 is a Beatles lover’s dream, but it’s also a way to understand how something like the Beatles coming to America could start the healing process of a country that had just lost a leader. My Rating: Full Price  Beatles '64 Info Now playing on the Disney+ platform. 

Forgotten Film:   A Hard Day's Night  (1964) G  Two days in the life of The Beatles as they prepare for an important live TV broadcast. Richard Lester directed this fantastic and fun look at The Beatles in a fictional look at what it was like to be them in England in 1964. The film allows the guys to have fun and showcase their personalities. While the plot is incredibly thin, and the boys mostly do a lot of jokes and winking at the camera, we do get to see how much fun they had at the time being together. Plus, we get a ton of their music. What is forgotten about this film is that it garnered two Academy Award nominations: Best Original Screenplay and Best Score.  My Rating: Full Price A Hard Day's Night Info The film is available to stream on Max and buy/rent on Amazon. 

Weird Credits: From the credits of Moana 2: Environment Lighting

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Babygirl  (2024) R  A high-powered CEO (Nicole Kidman) has everything she's ever desired except one thing. She finds it in a torrid affair with her much younger intern (Harris Dickinson). Nicole Kidman has won a couple of awards from film festivals for this role. Could an Academy Award nomination be coming next year?  Babygirl Website  The film will be in theatres on Christmas Day. 

Until Next Time!