Mufasa: The Lion King

FamilyFaire:  Mufasa: The Lion King  (2024) PG In Mufasa: The Lion King, Mufasa is a cub who is lost and alone. He meets another cub named Taka, heir to a royal bloodline. They become fast friends, and with Taka’s help and some new friends, Mufasa might survive in this savage and beautiful world. Lately, it seems Disney has given up on new ideas and is just remaking all their classic animated films with live-action ones. So, when it was announced that Barry Jenkins, Academy Award-winning filmmaker (Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk) would be directing, and Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, In the Heights) would write original songs for it, I had great hope that this would break the streak of bland musical remakes. Unfortunately, it's not even close. We have a story that no one was asking for: the origins of Simba’s dad, Mufasa, and his rival, Scar.One is how Mufasa and Scar first met, became friends, and then became enemies. The original animated 1994 movie was nominated for four Oscars, three of which were nominated for Best Song (Elton John (music), Time Rice (Lyrics), with ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ winning. Nothing in this film comes even close to any of the songs from the original film. There is one song, ‘Tell Me It’s You,” when (small spoiler alert) Mufasa (Aaron Pierre) and Sarabi (Tiffany Boone) profess their love for each other that is catchy and works in the moment. The rest of the songs are instantly forgettable, and there is one song, ‘Bye Bye,’ where the villain of the film, Krios (Mads Mikkelsen) sings about killing all his enemies, that is possibly the worst song that has ever graced the Disney movie screen (and that includes all those family musicals that Disney did on the cheap back in the 60s) with our bad guy constantly singing the words Bye Bye to his soon-to-be victims. Although there are some glimpses of what Barry Jenkins wanted to achieve with this film, he is hindered by the fact that the film has two storylines. The other storyline, which brings this whole film down to almost unwatchable, is Rafiki, with the help of Timon and Pumbaa, babysitting a young lion cub by telling him the story of Mufasa. I am guessing that Disney told Jenkins, hey, can you throw in the comic relief guys every ten minutes to keep the kids interested? It will help with our toy lineup. These interruptions to the story are grating and full of horrible jokes, most of which only a 3-year-old will find funny. While the lifelike animation is an improvement over the 2019 The Lion King remake (where every animal had faces that showed no emotion), this film would have worked much better as a traditional 2-D animated film. One of the great things about the Disney animated films of the 90s was that they had some incredibly beautiful shots, something this live-animated film is sorely missing. I guess I’m old school, but having lifelike animated animals singing just seems a little weird to me. The film feels longer than the two-hour runtime, with too many songs, too much Timon/Pumbaa, and an ending that seems very anti-climactic. By the movie’s end, I just wanted to say “Bye Bye,” and I sure wasn’t singing or humming any of the songs from this overly long and dull film.    My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Mufasa: The Lion King Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide.

FamilyFaire:  Sonic the Hedgehog 3  (2024) PG Sonic the Hedgehog 3 begins with Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails facing their most powerful foe ever, Shadow. If they have any hope of defeating Shadow, they will need help from a very unexpected source, Dr. Robotnik. As a film critic, I see about two-thirds (sometimes more) of the films I review with an audience. Sometimes this helps (seeing a children’s movie with kids in the audience lets me know if they are engaged with the film). Sometimes, it hurts (audience members pulling out their iPhones and distracting my vision while a key scene is being played out on screen). With horror, comedies, and Marvel films, seeing a movie with an audience can help significantly with the experience, sharing in the screams, laughs, or cheers. When I saw this film, it was evident that the audience I saw it with were fans of the Sonic games. They cheered when Sonic or Shadow showed off their powers, and when new characters were revealed, the audience would erupt. So, from those reactions, I feel that if you are a fan of the games, you will enjoy this film. I am not a fan of the film series. I barely liked the first film, mostly because of Jim Carey going nuts on screen, and I hated Sonic 2, mainly because Jim Carey’s Dr. Robotnik took a backseat to Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) in the film, taking away from the joy of the first film. Luckily, the studio figured out we wanted more Jim Carey, not less, so we get two Jim Carey roles: Dr. Robotnik (who has been watching a lot of Telenovelas) and his grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, who is also an evil bad guy but even more so. And then we have Shadow, voiced by Keanu Reeves, who is a character who is determined to get his revenge for killing a friend of his and imprisoning him for 50 years. Carey has a blast playing two evil and weird bad guys, including several dance numbers he does as both characters. Shadow is a much better villain than Knuckles was in the second film, with a backstory that helps you understand why he is so pissed off all the time. The film is fast-paced, and even better yet, there is less interaction with the weak points of all three films, the husband and wife team of Tom (James Marsden) and Maddie (Tika Sumpter), mostly seen at the beginning and end of the film. Of the three films, this was the one that I enjoyed throughout, and I think you will enjoy it too. And by the way, there are two bonus scenes, one in the middle of the credits that the audience went nuts over and one at the end of all the credits.Both set up the next film in the series.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Website Now playing in theaters nationwide. 

My View: The Six Triple Eight  (2024) PG-13  The Six Triple Eight takes place in 1943 during the height of WWII, when priorities changed, and a huge backlog of undelivered mail was overflowing warehouses. The 6888th Women’s Army Corps’ all-Black battalion was tasked with sorting years’ worth of mail and raising the spirits of soldiers and their families worldwide. This film is directed and co-written by Tyler Perry, a filmmaker not known for his subtle touch. The Six Triple Eight is based on a true story about an all-Black battalion that not once but twice did what others before them failed to do: finding a way to get the mail to the soldiers fighting the war and getting their letters to their loved ones back home delivered. Perry, unfortunately, makes this film about what these soldiers endured and not about the incredible accomplishment they were able to achieve against all the odds. The film constantly hits us over the head with how badly these women were treated and how they were set up for failure. It’s a constant theme throughout this film, and the repetition gets old after a while. Add in that the dialogue in this film is horrendous, with lines that felt hollow and out of place, making the film hard to watch. Their commanding officer, Major Adams (played by Kerry Washington), is constantly surprised by the racism she encounters. Every ten minutes is another scene where Capt. Adams stands up for her troops and is shot down by a racist military man. Her reaction is always of surprise and shock. The film never achieves any of the power and emotion that this story richly deserves. Instead, we get scene after scene that has little impact on the story or the great accomplishment that this battalion did. The film’s final scenes are with some of the surviving members of the battalion, who finally got recognition for their outstanding service to our country in the last few years. I wish the feeling I got from those few moments had carried over into the rest of the film. My Rating: Cable  The Six Triple Eight Website  Now playing in select theatres and on the Netflix platform. 

Forgotten Film:  The Taylor of Panama  (2001)  R  Andy Osnard (Pierce Brosnan) is a British spy for MI6 who has a habit of sleeping with women that can get him in trouble. Andy is given one last assignment to redeem himself. Go to Panama and find out if the Panama Canal is going to be sold to a foreign government. Andy needs someone who can supply him with information. He meets Harry Pendel (Geoffrey Rush), a tailor for the rich in Panama. Andy finds out Harry has a past that could ruin his career, making a perfect patsy from which Andy can mine information from. Harry also has a beautiful wife (Jamie Lee Curtis) whom Andy can hit on. The Taylor of Panama is a film based on a novel by John Le Carre and is directed by five-time Oscar nominee John Boorman (Hope and Glory, Deliverance). It's a brilliant spy film where no one is a hero and has one of my favorite lines from a spy film: 'Welcome to Panama-Casablanca without heroes.'   My Rating: Full Price  The Taylor of Panama Info  The film is available to rent/buy on Amazon and Apple TV.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Sonic The Hedgehog 3: Sports Therapist to Mr. Carey

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The Last Showgirl  (2024) R  Shelly (Pamela Anderson) has been part of a Las Vegas revue show for over 20 years. Shelly has given up everything to be a part of the show and is told that in two weeks, the show will close forever. Pamela Anderson hasn’t headlined a movie since her 1996 film Barb Wire. Anderson playing the aging showgirl that has gotten a lot of attention recently from film critics and the Golden Globes, and could possibly garner an Oscar nomination for the role. The film contains an outstanding supporting cast, including Brenda Song, Kiernan Shipka, Dave Bautista, Billie Lourd, Jason Schwartzman, and Jamie Lee Curtis.   The Last Showgirl Website  The film is in theaters on Friday, January 10, 2025. 

Until Next Time!

In the Heights

Note to readers: I have started going to movies in the theaters, having received my two shots and passed the two-week standby period, wearing a mask at all times and following social distancing. Most of the films I am reviewing are still movies that I watched at home, but I will note in the review if I saw them in a theatre. I am not going to tell you whether or not to attend a theatre. Just be aware of the risks, do your research, and follow the instructions to the letter.

My View: In the Heights  (2021)  PG-13   Usnavi (Anthony Ramos) lives in the neighborhood of Washington Heights, just on the northern tip of Manhattan. Usnavi owns a bodega and dreams of winning the lottery and escaping to the shores of his native Dominican Republic. Nina (Leslie Grace) has come back home from college with some upsetting news for her parents. Life is hard, but with help from friends in the Heights, you can survive. It's hard to take the magic and energy of a live stage performance and put it on the screen successfully, but the team of Lin-Manuel Miranda, Quiara Alegria Hudes, and Jon M. Chu have done a fantastic job with a film that will have you dancing in the aisles. Anthony Ramos is brilliant as the storyteller/bodega owner who dreams of opening his grandfather’s place back in the Dominican Republic. Full of energy and charisma, it’s a magical performance that carries this film along. Leslie Grace, as Nia, is perfect as a girl who feels she doesn’t fit in with the West Coast college life and wants to come back home. Melissa Barrera has a beautiful voice and is mesmerizing as the love of Usnavi’s life, a woman who dreams of becoming a fashion designer and moving out of the neighborhood. The music is fantastic, the dance sequences are fun and exciting, including one done on the rooftops of the neighborhood, and the songs are so good you may, like the audience I saw it with, clap out loud at the end of the big musical numbers. Please don’t wait to see In the Heights at home, go and experience it like I did, in a theatre where the music and the spectacle can overwhelm you. And be sure to stay through all the credits, there is a bonus scene you don't want to miss.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   In the Heights Website  Now playing in select theatres and on the HBO Max platform.

Familyfaire: Wish Dragon  (2021)  PG   Din (voiced by Jimmy Wong) is a delivery boy who longs for a better life and to meet up with his long-lost childhood friend, Lina (voiced by Natasha Liu Bordizzo). Din finds a teapot containing an all-powerful dragon named Long (John Cho), who can grant wishes. Can Long grant Din his wish to be reunited with his long-lost love Lina? This is a well-done, funny retelling of the genie and the lamp tale. All Din wants is to reunite with his childhood friend. All Long wants is for Din to hurry up and make his three wishes so that he can end his curse and go off to heaven. John Cho, voicing the dragon Long, is hilarious as he discovers the wonders of the modern world, all the while trying to get Din to hurry up and make his three wishes. The story is a joy to watch and has a few small twists and turns that, while a little predictable, still make the storyline move along at a brisk pace. The animation is colorful, and there is enough action and adventure to keep little ones involved. By the way, they made this in China and recorded a version in Mandarin with legendary action star Jackie Chan as the voice of Long the dragon.    My Rating: Full Price    Wish Dragon Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform.

Indiefest: Queen Bees   (2021)  PG-13   After a fire at her home, Helen (Ellen Burstyn) is temporally moved into a senior’s home, where she encounters a group of mean-spirited women led by Janet (Jane Curtin). Helen decides to make the best of a bad situation and meet the clique head-on while being romanced by a dashing new resident (James Cann). I had high hopes for this film with a cast that includes my childhood crush Ann-Margret, Jane Curtin, and Christopher Lloyd. Unfortunately, the cast is wasted on a script that never delivers. The plot is razor-thin, with plot twists that you can see coming, even without your glasses and dialogue that is so clunky, you might wish for hearing aids so you can turn them off. Burstyn gives everything she’s got but is let down by a plot that would be rejected by some of those Hallmark cable channel knock-off movies. Queen Bees a warmhearted movie with good intentions that just can’t seem to find any way out of a lousy script.   My Rating: Cable    Queen Bees Website  Now playing in select theatres and is available for rent on participating on-demand services.

Indiefest: Holler   (2020)  R   Ruth (Jessica Barden) has gotten a way out of her small, dying Southern Ohio town; she has been accepted to college. She joins a scrap metal crew with her brother, Hank (Austin Amelio), to pay her way to college. The two work the dangerous job of the scrap metal crew during the day and then break into abandoned factories at night to steal valuable metal. Ruth soon finds that the ultimate cost of an education may be more than she bargained for, and she will have to choose between that promising future and the family she will have to leave behind. I loved this film because of the spellbinding performance of Jessica Barden as the headstrong, smart young woman who wants more out of life than her small town can offer her but is torn by the love of her brother and how he has done everything for her. The film is bleak, with a town being destroyed by the factories that keep closing and the drugs that its townspeople turn to for an escape. Barden is captivating on-screen, and we root for her right from the start, even when she breaks the law because we know that it’s the only choice she has. This is a film about loyalty and family and how the choices we make can have lasting ramifications for our future. Holler is a film that will cause you to fall in love with Ruth and then break your heart when she makes decisions that she feels are right, even though we know they are wrong. Barden’s performance will stay with you long after you have finished your journey with Ruth and her family.   My Rating: Full Price     Holler Website   Now playing in select theatres and is available for rent on participating on-demand services.

Indiefest: Censor  (2021)   Enid (Niamh Algar) spends her days as a film censor, watching gore-filled movies and decided what should be taken out. Enid is assigned a film from the archive that echoes her hazy childhood, one where her sister disappeared so long ago. This is a movie that would be perfect to see at a midnight showing at a film festival or a drive-in, the ideal places to see a shock and scare horror film. The film takes place in 80s Britain when movies being released on video were subject to being heavily edited or outright banned. Enid is a prim, lonely woman who is haunted by her past. Enid was a child when her sister went missing and does not remember what happened. When Enid watches a horror film that seemingly mirrors her sister's disappearance, she begins a deep, dark dive into the world of horror films. I loved the look of this film, with its bland colors and almost murky look, where a walk a night for Enid is as scary as the horror films that she watches every day for work. If you are a fan of horror films, Censor is a film to watch as Enid tries to find out what happened to her sister and discovers that reality sometimes does mirror film.    My Rating: Full Price    Holler Website   Now playing in select theatres and is available for rent on participating on-demand services on June 18th.

Forgotten Film: Stuck Between Stations   (2011)  R   Casper (Sam Rosen) is on leave from the Army and is about to return to Afghanistan. Rebecca (Zoe Lister-Jones) is a grad student who has messed up her life with bad relationship after bad relationship. Casper has always thought about the girl he had a crush on in high school, and they meet a decade later by chance in a bar. They will spend an evening together touring the nightlife of Minneapolis and maybe change their thinking about life and each other. I love the performances in this film, especially Zoe Lister-Jones as the grad student who perhaps is too smart for her own good. Stuck Between Stations is one of those small indie films that never got the attention it deserved.   My Rating: Full Price    Stuck Between Stations Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of In the Heights: Environmental Stewards

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:   Ron’s Gone Wrong   (2021)  Barney (voiced by Jack Dylan Grazer) is an awkward middle-schooler who just wants to fit in. He is given a Bot, a new walking, talking, digitally connected device meant to be your best friend. The problem is right from the start, Barney’s Bot, named Ron, is defective. Can Ron and Barney still be friends? The trailer looks like this will be a lot of fun, highlighted by the fact that Zach Galifianakis voices Ron.   Ron's Gone Wrong Info

Fatal Affair

My View:  Fatal Affair (2020)   Ellie (Nia Long) is in a marriage to Marcus (Stephen Bishop), that is having some rocky times. Ellie runs into a flame from her past, David (Omar Epps), and though she is tempted, she does not stray. The problem is that David won’t give up on Ellie, no matter how much she tries to avoid him, and David doesn’t like to be denied. The plot is pretty much what you expect, a crazy stalker goes after a former love and attacks her and her family, first with deception and possible blackmail, followed by stalking and then the final confrontation. Fatal Affair isn’t a bad movie, just a highly predictable storyline that doesn’t bring anything new to the genre, and the chemistry between Long and Epps is nothing spectacular. If you are into the ‘Lifetime’ style plot, you might want to spend the hour and thirty minutes watching this. If this type of genre is not your thing, it’s fine to skip it.   My Rating: Cable    Fatal Affair Website   Available on the Netflix website.

My View:  The Sunlit Night (2019)   After her boyfriend breaks up with her, and her art is rejected by the critics, Frances (Jenny Slate) travels to faraway Norway to help a painter (Fridtjov Saheim) with his latest art project. I love Jenny Slate, and she doesn’t disappoint in this lighthearted and a quirky film. The film is filled with some zany characters like the surly painter Frances is assisting in helping paint an abandoned barn in really bright yellow and orange colors. Zack Galifianakis is funny as an American who somehow has become the Viking chief of the town. A few performers are wasted with smaller parts, like David Paymer as Frances’s father, a frustrated illustrator who is talented but is forced to do illustrations for medical journals and Gillian Anderson, who shows up and says maybe two lines. However, this is Slate’s movie, and she is up to the task as the flighty painter who rediscovers her passion for painting in this weird little town. The Sunlit Night is just a fun time with a character that you will enjoy watching her figure out not only this strange small town but her life as well.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee    The Sunlit Night Info   Available for rent on participating on-demand services.

My View:  Father Soldier Son (2020) R   Documentary on a former platoon sergeant and his two young sons spanning over a decade, chronicling his return home after a severe combat injury. The filmmakers were given unprecedented access to the family over a span of ten years. We see the Eisch family deal with all sorts of obstacles that test the family is its will to carry on. It was hard seeing a single father (the wife left years ago, never seeing her two young sons) having to leave his sons behind as he gets deployed once again to Afghanistan. That is heartbreaking enough, but the sergeant, a highly decorated soldier, gets severely injured and has to go through years of hard and agonizing rehab. There are some good times, as the family deals with life, but I will warn you, there will be a lot of times you will pull out multiple tissues. The film gives us an inside look on just how tough it is to be a military family, dealing with the aftereffects of war. It’s hard enough raising a family, but this film shows just how almost impossible it is in these tough times. The film will keep you watching as you will want to see how the family overcomes all its struggles.   My Rating: Full Price    Father Soldier Son Website   Available on the Netflix website.

Indiefest:  The Painted Bird (2019)   A young Jewish boy (Petr Kotlar) is left with a relative in Eastern Europe during World War II, and after that relative dies, the boy goes on a quest to find his family. I knew that this was going to be an incredibly tough film to watch based on the amount of press the film got at several film festivals where people walked out of screenings and the legendary reputation of the graphic content of the 1960s book the film is based on. I will warn you that it is a hard watch, with lots of very uncomfortable situations that this young boy has to go through to survive the war. I won’t go into detail, but if you get upset over graphic material dealing with the welfare of children, then don’t watch this film. Shot in black and white, which makes the film feel stark and harsh, the film is brought to life by an incredible performance of Petr Kotlar, who almost goes the whole movie without saying a word. It’s a film full of tragic events, but it shows just how much the human spirit will endure to survive.   My Rating: Full Price      The Painted Bird Website     Available for rent on participating on-demand services.

Indiefest:  Two Ways to Go West (2020)   Gavin (James Liddell) is a recovering addict who survives testing his sobriety on the Vegas Strip. Returning to their hotel rooms, the bachelor party escalates, and Gavin and his friends go down a road he never wanted to confront. I wanted to like this film, but it felt too much like a stage play, as the film is primarily set in one hotel room where three friends discuss life. The plot is incredibly predictable, and the dialogue feels forced. I never really cared about Gavin, a TV star who we quickly see go down a road of self-destruction. The film feels like a student film project that the lead actor wrote to show off his acting talents to other filmmakers. The film ends with a dull thud as nothing is settled or even close to being resolved.   My Rating: Cable    Two Ways to Go West Facebook Page    Available for rent on participating on-demand services.

Indiefest:  Blessed Child (2019)   Filmmaker Cara Jones attempts to finally break free from the cult that she belonged to that dominated her childhood: Reverend Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church. The filmmaker was part of what could be considered the preeminent American family that belonged to the Unification Church, as her parents, who had four kids, were high ranking members of the Church. I wanted more from this film, as we are continually told that the Church is a cult, but the film takes such a soft approach to the subject, mostly due to the fact that while all the children are no longer members of the Church, their parents are still heavily involved. The film is a personal look at how the church impacted the filmmaker and one of her brothers, Bow, who in his teens realized that he was gay (considered a sin in the church). I just never quite connected with Jones on her exploration of the church and how it affected her life. There are so many unanswered questions, so much that isn’t explored in the film, that I came away feeling that I really didn’t learn much about the church and why it was such a bad influence in people’s lives.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee     Blessed Child Info    Available for rent on participating on-demand services.

Indiefest:  We Are Freestyle Love Supreme  (2020)  Before Lin-Manuel Miranda’s groundbreaking musical smash Hamilton, he was in a comedy improv hip-hop freestyle group called Freestyle Love Supreme. What a fun film to watch as Lin-Manuel and his friends perform in front of paying adoring crowds or by themselves as they walk down the street. Fans of Miranda are going to love this film as we see just how Miranda found his voice that he turned into Broadway magic. The film covers how the group was formed and goes over some of the group's changes during the years. What never changes is how much fun the cast has and how they delight in each other's performances. Pull up a seat and let these freestyle comedic talents run wild with words and song.  My Rating: Full Price    We Are Freestyle Love Supreme Website      Available on the Hulu website.

Forgotten Film: Last Orders (2001) R   Jack (Michael Caine) was a butcher who, for over fifty years, enjoyed a pint with his friends. Before he died, he requested that his ashes be scattered in the sea. Three friends (Bob Hoskins, David Hemmings, and Tom Courtenay), along with Jack’s son (Ray Winstone), go on a journey to celebrate Jack’s life and respect his last wish. The film is about love and friendship, told in flashbacks, as the four travel. Jack’s widow (Hellen Merrin) goes on her quest to visit a daughter who has been committed to an institution. Great performances by the cast make this a film hit all the right notes.   My Rating: Full Price     Last Orders Info

Weird Credits: From the credits of Fatal Affair: Netflix move app operator

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Summerland (2020) PG  During World War II, a single English writer (Gemma Arterton) is given an evacuee child to raise as his father fights the war. Both the child and the woman will discover friendship and how time can repair anything, including past loves. I absolutely adore Gemma Arterton, so I can’t wait for this film.     Summerland Website

Until Next Time!